We Belong to the Thunder
by HaveNoMercy
Summary: Sequel to Bad Romance with pairings Tollie & Clois. What happened with Tess's pregnancy? What happened between Lois & Clark?
1. Entrusting Information

We Belong to the Thunder – Entrusting Information

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Entrusting Information

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

**Important Notes: **This story is a sequel to _**Bad Romance,**_ with a lot more Clois. _**Bad Romance**_ was written pre-Season 10, and I did not add in Season 10, so there are a few things that have now become my universe in this story…that you need to know to understand the story.

# 1 – Lex and Tess are **not** brother and sister.

# 2 – Lois is aware that Chloe and Clark deleted her memories in Pandora and that Tess saw into her mind.

# 3 – Clark and Tess did not form the strangely close relationship of Season 10. In this fic, if you did not read Bad Romance, they made the progress up to Salvation and then weeks/months progressed between them, but it is Lois that made the progress with her first.

# 4 – Oliver and Chloe did not get married in my universe. Because that was some f***ed up sh**!

To the story now!

**Thanks and Dedication: **Thanks to **Juliette** for always beta-ing my stories and making me speak English. You're a goddess! And for dedications, **Julie**, **Yvonne**, and **Babette**. You three have been such great fan fiction supporters and I hope this is worth the wait!

XxX

She pulled her top off and climbed onto his lap, kissing him deeply. His hands reached up to massage her breasts, and he immediately dipped his fingers beneath the lacy material of her bra. His tongue traced down the line of her throat, ready to make contact with her hardening nipples when her cell phone went off, startling them both.

Just as they were both about to ignore it, the doorbell rang-repeatedly.

"Who the hell is that?" Lois asked, getting off of her husband.

"Someone ambitiously trying to ruin a Saturday afternoon," Clark replied, letting go of Lois's hips.

The brunette put her shirt back on and looked at the number on her cell, recognizing it immediately. She ran her hand through her hair and went to the front door. Opening it, she saw an exhausted and distressed redhead with an eight-week-old baby in a carrier.

"Hi," Tess said pathetically.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked with his hands on Lois's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm just glad he's asleep finally. I'm sorry to bother you."

"Come in," Lois said, standing aside and motioning for Tess to enter.

Tess entered, carrying her baby to the couch with Lois and Clark behind her and then she collapsed, unashamed of her exhaustion.

"Do you want something to drink? Or eat? Vodka? Ice cream?"

"It's eleven thirty. Just water is fine, thank you."

Lois got on her knees to peek at the baby.

"If you wake him, I'll kill you," Tess told her.

Lois grinned and then knelt in front of Tess who was lying back in the chair.

"It's okay, Tess. Just relax."

Clark came back out and handed a glass of water to Tess. She smiled at the lemon he put in it for her.

"Where's Oliver?" he asked, sitting on the couch beside Lois, pulling her legs over his lap.

"On some…Green Arrow mission. He'll be back tonight."

Tess sipped the water for a minute and looked pleadingly at Lois. Lois got the hint immediately.

"Clark, we need a few minutes alone."

"I see," he smiled, getting up obediently.

"Why don't you take the baby to the barn and make yourself useful?" Lois suggested.

Tess reached forward and grabbed onto the handle of the carrier.

"No no, don't take him!" she cried when Clark came towards Daniel.

There was a silence in the room and Tess immediately felt embarrassed of her reaction. She closed her eyes, tired and over-sensitive to everything.

"Clark, I'm sorry."

Clark knelt down on the floor until he was eye-to-eye with Tess.

"I'm not going to take your baby," he said to her carefully, worried that his past attitude towards her was affecting her trust.

"I know that," she replied honestly.

"I'm _**not**_," he said again.

"I know. But he's so little and no matter how tired I am, it's still hard being without him, not knowing where he is. I didn't mean to react like that."

"I understand. But no matter what I said before, I don't think that anymore. I was there when he was born and I see you with him. You're his mother. And I have at least two people who would kill me if I did anything, as well they should."

Tess smiled a little, comforted by his words.

"Clark, it's girl talk time," Lois said after the moment had passed and she could tell Tess didn't know how to reply to him.

"Going," Clark said immediately, standing up and leaving.

When he shut the door, Daniel awoke from the noise and began to cry.

"I'm sorry," Lois sympathized as Tess reached down to pick him up.

"Don't worry about it," Tess said, rubbing his back and soothing him.

She looked at Lois, who unlike her, had gotten a full night's sleep and was now looking at her, aching to hold her son. Lois had had an unusually instant bond with Daniel for which Tess was surprisingly grateful. She wasn't even sure that Lois was aware of it yet, but it was nice to have a friend to go to with her child.

"Would you like to hold him?" Tess asked.

"Sure," Lois said as nonchalantly as she could.

Tess was relieved when Lois took her son and rested him against her chest. She could tell that her son relaxed immediately in Lois's arms, and Lois looked back up her.

"What's going on?"

Tess rested her cheek against her hand, drained and fatigued. "I've just over burdened myself with everything and you know Chloe doesn't want to come back here full time, so she asked me to do Watchtower-"

"_**Be**_ Watchtower, there's a difference."

"Fine, be Watchtower, which is always a strange thing, when the ex-girlfriend asks you a favor like that. But I just found out something that really…"

"What's wrong?" Lois pushed, impatience getting the best of her as Tess danced around the issue.

"Can Clark hear us?" Tess asked, looking in the direction of the barn.

"He's not listening. Just tell me what's wrong."

"I'm pregnant."

"_**What?**_"

"Shhh," Tess whispered.

Lois looked down at Daniel, then back at Tess. "What did you do, wait until the exact six-week mark to celebrate the big day?"

Tess ran a hand down her face, forgetting about her makeup.

"Did you not use anything?"

"Lois! You are not helping me and I came here, crazy as it was, for support. And yes, we used something, for all the good it did."

Lois shook her head in amusement and smiled. "Well, I think it's great," she said, honestly happy another baby was coming into their lives. "Do you realize at Daniel's first birthday you're going to have a second baby?"

Tess rolled her eyes. "It's not as magical as you think, Lois. Waking up every two to three hours to feed your baby? Try doing that with a one year old and a full time job that demands your whole mind. To say nothing of a man who can't wait one second past the minute you're healed from giving birth."

"Oliver should have to give birth," Lois replied tersely. "But who cares. You're going to have a baby!"

Lois was entirely too happy about the situation.

"I just did! I'm exhausted. You try spending the better part of two years pregnant and see how glamorous you feel."

Lois laughed softly at Tess's expense, selfishly still loving to see her struggle. "Do you need an army cot for a nap?" she half teased.

"Would you begrudge me the opportunity?"

"No, go upstairs to the guest bedroom. I'll take care of everything. You can stay for lunch and I'll call Oliver later. It's fine."

"Are you kidding me? I'm too stressed to sleep in a bed like a normal person. The most I could get is a few minutes right here. So just…could you watch him and ignore me?"

Lois insisted and Tess rested her head against the shoulder of the chair, leaving Lois feeling sympathy for her. She reached her hand across the couch to caress Tess's hair briefly. Tess nodded off quickly and Lois enjoyed having the sleeping baby on her stomach.

XxX

"_We've been here for two hours," Clark commented, flipping through another magazine._

"_It's her first baby. We'll probably be here for another twelve," Lois replied matter-of-factly. _

_Oliver came through the doors of the hospital room, pulling out his cell phone. Lois and Clark stood up and walked the short distance to him._

"_What's going on? She didn't have it already, did she?" Clark asked._

"_No, she changed her mind. She wants the epidural __**and**__ the doula. So I've gotta get hers here immediately."_

_Lois put her hand on Oliver's wrist, ceasing his dialing. "That could take forever. And what can a doula do that I can't? Rub her shoulders and feet and provide her soothing words and ice chips?"_

"_Lois-"_

"_Clark, go find the doctor and Oliver, forget the doula, I'll help Tess."_

"_You'll help her?" Oliver inquired._

"_What? You don't think I'm a soothing person?" she challenged with raised eyebrows, well aware of the many sarcastic answers that could come her way. "We don't have time for this. Tess is in pain, so go get her the drugs and let me help her. Babe, go!" she pleaded to Clark. _

_Clark dashed off and Oliver took Lois by the arm, bringing her back into the room, wanting assistance for the woman he loved. Tess was between contractions and she looked at Lois._

"_What?" she asked, seeing them both aware of the situation, knowing that she wasn't._

"_Clark's getting the doctor and I'm going to be here for you," Lois told her, propping her up. "Oliver, can you get her some more ice chips?"_

_Tess surrendered, her head falling against the pillow. _

"_I'm really grateful that you two are here for me, but I don't know that I want Clark in here watching me give birth."_

"_Who said anything about that?" Oliver said, taking a spoonful of the ice chips to put in her mouth. "I don't want him in here for that either. Lois and I are here for you, the doctor's here for the baby, Clark's getting the epidural and then he's outside for the duration."_

_Tess looked from Oliver to Lois who was trying really hard not to laugh. _

"_He's so cute when he thinks he has a right to an opinion," Tess said to her new helper. _

_Oliver placed an ice chip in her mouth to shut her up. "Yeah-you, you're so lucky you're in labor right now," he muttered playfully. _

_Tess felt the sharp pain course through her and grabbed onto Oliver. "It's back, it's back."_

_Oliver quickly handed Lois the ice chips and placed both hands over Tess's. "It's going to be okay, I'm here," he said, placing kisses over her face. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you."_

"_Turn her on her side a little," Lois said, gently massaging Tess's side._

"_Why?"_

"_Don't question everything I say, just do it," Lois insisted._

"_And don't fight when I'm in this much pain!" Tess moaned, turning with Lois's help._

"_How far apart were those contractions?" Lois asked, rubbing Tess's shoulders gently and getting the sweaty hair out of her face._

"_Four minutes," Oliver answered, focused on Tess's controlled breathing._

"_Lois," Tess said._

"_Yeah?"_ _Lois replied._

"_Thank you," she said sincerely._

_Lois looked at her, slightly surprised that Tess seemed surprised. Did Tess think Lois was really incapable of an act of kindness towards her? What was a few years of nastiness and a punching match compared to a blossoming friendship? _

"_You're welcome. Don't worry. I was in the army. I've seen it all."_

"_Then I'll tell you what I'd like to see," Tess cried painfully. "I'd like to see you go get my doctor since Clark is apparently too nice to grab him by the balls and drag him in here."_

"_See, now you're speaking my language," Lois smiled. Lois looked at Oliver. "Get on the bed with her._

_Let her rest against you. I'll take her hands and pull her forward, then you get behind her."_

"_I can sit up myself," Tess professed. "Don't treat me like an invalid."_

_Tess sat up and didn't reach for the hands that Lois offered. In that moment, Tess reminded Lois so much of herself. Lois watched as Tess let Oliver kiss her exhausted mouth, trying even in her agony to please him. He climbed in the bed behind her, pulled her against him and rocked her gently. He crossed his arms over her chest lightly and spoke to her as she closed her eyes._

"_This is nothing compared to the fights we've had," he whispered softly and she exhaled a laugh against him. "I love you," he told her._

"_I love you too," she breathed, turning her face as far towards him as she could in her position. "But right now I'm telling you, you could never understand this kind of suffering."_

"_I'll let you try it on me later," he said, lacing her fingers with his._

"_I'll be back," Lois told them, slightly amazed that they tended to forget other people were in the room with them._

_It didn't take Lois very long to find Clark walking back quickly with the doctor. Lois told the doctor to go ahead inside and then she rose up on her toes and kissed Clark._

"_I'm not even going to ask what took you so long, but I'm going to be in there, and it's going to be great. I'll come get you when it's over." She was overwhelmed by her love for him. "I need you so much," she whispered, kissing him once more._

_When she turned to walk away he grabbed her hand, yanking her back towards him, the charge from his touch flooding her body and exploding inside her when his mouth caressed hers again._

"_Clark," she sighed, trying to remain aware they were in public. "Don't make me think these things when she's in there suffering. Stop," Lois smiled against him. "I gotta go."_

_She caressed his face and went back to Tess's room, leaving Clark to the magazines and television without cable. _

_Another seven hours went by with Tess having a much less painful labor due to a helpful epidural injection. Though her first two trimesters had been tumultuously passionate with Oliver, the last few months had been without fights and struggle. He held her as she pushed the baby out while Lois tending to her, being the support Tess needed._

"_Squeeze my hands," Oliver said as she clenched through the final push and then he leaned her back against the bed. "It's okay," he whispered, pulling her to him and resting his lips against her forehead. "You did it, Mercy, he's here."_

_Lois went to look at their baby, waiting for him to cry. _

"_He's perfectly fine, Ms. Mercer-you have a perfectly strong-" she said, cutting the cord. "-baby boy."_

_And then he cried. Tess, in all her exhaustion, sobbed briefly at the sound of her son. The nurses cleaned him off and checked his vitals while the doctor tended to Tess. _

"_Are you ready to hold him?" the nurse asked, carrying him towards her._

_Lois and Oliver were crowded on the bed beside Tess, eager to see the new life. Tess opened her tired arms and gathered her baby into them._

"_Look at him," she whispered to Oliver in joy._

"_He's even more perfect than I thought he'd be." Oliver placed his finger in the baby's hand. "Not as nice out here, is it, little guy?"_

_Tess rested her head against Oliver's shoulder. "It takes such a long time to get him here…so much anticipation for something you wait all your life to feel."_

_Lois smiled, brushing Tess's hair with her fingers until Oliver interrupted, kissing Tess tenderly. _

"_Why don't you hold him, so long as you give him back," she grinned, handing her son to him._

"_I want a turn after Oliver," Lois chimed in. _

_After the doctors and nurses filtered out of the room, the three of them took turns passing the baby. "He's so tiny," Lois commented, running her finger along the baby's arm._

"_Are you kidding me?" Tess shot back. Then she glared at Oliver. "Did you hear that?" she snapped, making Oliver crack up. _

"_I think this would be a very good time for you to go get Clark," Oliver told Lois._

"_We did just completely leave him out there, didn't we?" Tess said, grateful that it hadn't been an even more difficult birth so she was left with enough energy to celebrate with them._

_Tess watched Oliver hold their son proudly, her heart content and exhausted. She tore her eyes from her child and looked up at the man she loved. _

"_When they come back in, hand him to Lois to give to Clark."_

_Oliver nodded, understanding that Tess wanted Lois to have a baby to hand to her husband. He understood the things Tess wanted to give to others. When the hospital door opened, Clark came in carrying balloons and cards, making Tess laugh._

"_He got bored," Lois explained._

"_Did you know there's a gift shop?" Clark asked. "I thought you might like a few things, so here's some balloons and here's a card," he grinned, handing her one. "Here's one you need to sign," he said, handing one to Lois. "Congratulations."_

_He leaned in and kissed Tess on the forehead, handing her one of the four balloons he'd bought in the shape of a baby bottle. "You look ridiculous, you know that, right?" Tess said._

"_Thank you," he replied gallantly. "Is this him?" he asked, looking at the baby. "Never mind, forget I asked that."_

_Tess took Lois's arm gently and guided her closer. "Here, you…" she murmured, taking her son and easing him into Lois's arms. "…take him, there you go." _

_Tess knew Lois and Clark would have their moment with her son and she wanted that for them. Tess felt nothing but happiness to have Lois and Clark in her life. _

"_Do you want to hold him?" Lois asked Clark, all smiles._

"_Does the sun rise in the east?" _

_Lois effortlessly slid the baby into Clark's arms._

"_His eyes are already brown," Clark noted._

_Tess grinned. "Yeah, I noticed that too."_

_Tess was happy, Lois thought, and so was she._

XxX

Lois kissed Daniel's forehead gently as he slept blissfully against her. Tess slumbered just as peacefully beside them. She heard Clark coming in from the barn.

"Shhh," she whispered, knowing his super-hearing could detect her soft whisper.

He came into the room and felt his heart stop at the sight of Daniel on top of her. He wanted the baby to be theirs. Lois smiled up at him and overwhelming emotion flooded him. He looked at Tess sleeping, grateful for the pieces of a life she provided them, pieces that he feared he might never be able to give Lois himself.

"Cover her up," Lois whispered. "But don't wake her."

Clark retrieved a blanket and covered Tess up gently before retiring to the couch beside Lois, enjoying the baby he'd come to love almost as much as the woman beside him.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	2. Easy Silence

We Belong to the Thunder – Easy Silence

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Easy Silence

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG

XxX

"You really like playing mommy," Clark commented with a grin as he cooked lunch and Lois swayed Daniel back and forth.

"Shut up, he's the first baby that doesn't scream the second I pick him up," Lois said, somehow trying to prove his claim wrong.

"Admit it, you're going to use one of the guest bedrooms to buy a crib and changing table just so Tess will leave him here once in a while," Clark teased.

_Well, now that she's pregnant and will need some time off, that's not a bad idea,_ Lois thought.

"Clark, your food's burning," she replied casually, kissing Daniel's soft head.

She _**did**_ want Tess to leave Daniel with them. The idea that Clark might never be able to have children with her had never crossed her mind until Tess and Oliver had their baby, and that didn't even bother her until she'd held him and felt her own connection with him. Now, she wanted that with a baby she didn't have to hand back to his mother.

But, knowing that Clark was her soul mate, she was content to just be a presence in Daniel's life. Lois felt like she had dated every asshole in the world; she wasn't letting Clark Kent go for anything. He was the love of her life and nothing would take him from her.

Clark stirred the potatoes and carrots and checked the meatloaf. Then he threw the hand towel on counter and came up behind Lois, caressing Daniel's back and kissing his wife's cheek.

"Not exactly the Sunday I imagined, but I could get used to it," he murmured, his lips going down her face gently.

"I can't respond when I'm holding a baby, back off until later," she whispered, suppressing the flickers of desire he could always ignite in her.

Clark removed his mouth from her cheek and looked at the baby.

"Do _**you**_ think I'm good with him?" Lois asked.

"I think you're amazing with him," he replied. "Tess came to you first, didn't she?"

XxX

Tess felt the edge of consciousness upon her and she tried to resist it. She tried to urge herself back to sleep as she relaxed her eyes and calmed herself, but as she attempted soothing thoughts, the quietness, the smell of food, and her son not crying out for her made her panic.

"Lois?" she called out, throwing the blanket off.

"Yeah, we're right here," Lois replied, carrying the baby over to Tess, who stood up and smiled at the sight of her son. "Here's Mommy," Lois said playfully.

Tess brushed a hand delicately over Daniel's head but didn't take him from Lois. She knew Lois treasured the moments with her son.

"Okay!" Clark announced. "Lunch, a late lunch, will be ready in about five minutes. Nothing exciting, just my mom's homemade meatloaf recipe."

"Oh," Tess replied thoughtfully. "I should probably go. I need to change him and put him down soon."

"I changed him," Lois said. "I got his diaper bag from the car and set it by the door. I also texted Oliver. He knows where you both are." Lois leaned into Tess. "And between you and me, I am one helluva liar."

"I know you two have things to say to each other," Clark said with a small mocking factor in his voice. "But at least have something to eat before you go. Daniel's been really good. He might even fall asleep in the carrier and if not, Lois could hold him while you eat."

Tess wasn't sure if it was because he mentioned food, or if it was because he was serving the potatoes and meatloaf, but she made a mad dash across the living room to the kitchen sink and threw up.

"Take the baby," Lois said to Clark, thrusting Daniel into his arms.

Clark took the baby as Lois rushed over to Tess's side, collecting Tess's long hair and pulling it back.

"It's okay," Lois soothed. She grabbed the hand towel and used it to wipe Tess's mouth.

"I'm sorry," Tess apologized.

"What are you sorry for?" Lois asked.

"I don't mean to ruin your appetite. I didn't mean to-"

"Tess, come on, I think this is a vast improvement from the last time we were in this situation."

Tess took another deep breath, remembering the bathroom stall incident when she'd first found out she was pregnant with Daniel.

"Last time? Would anyone like to inform the rest of the room of what is going on?" Clark asked.

The women turned to face him.

"Are you okay?" he asked Tess.

"Did you tell him?" Tess asked Lois.

"Tell me what?" Clark asked.

"No, it wasn't my secret to tell."

"Lois!" Clark pushed.

"Just-it's fine, tell him," Tess said, pulling up a chair to sit down before she passed out.

"She's pregnant again," Lois said, offering Tess some crackers.

"Already?" Clark asked. "Is that safe?"

"'Course it's safe. She does kick-boxing and pilates, she'll be fine."

Tess gave Lois an amused look.

"I meant that in the most complimentary way possible."

Tess nodded, seeing Clark appreciating Lois's humor as she took the crackers from her.

"Uh huh, thank you very much."

Daniel began to whimper for Tess.

"That means you, I bet," Clark said, coming closer.

"I think so," Tess replied, taking her son.

When he quieted in his mother's arms, they had their answer.

"It's early for him to be upset about being taken from me. It's one of the reasons I'm glad you two are in his life."

"Still," Clark added. "It's nice to know that this early, he knows you're his mother."

Tess caressed her son's back. "Yeah, but I want him to have more than me."

"He's two months old," Lois replied. "He can love you best right now, take it easy. You still nauseous?"

"No, I'm good thanks. And I'll tell Oliver tonight, but I'd appreciate it if you let _**me**_ tell him. He's already going to kill me for coming here first."

"How could you get pregnant again this fast?" Clark asked, still amazed.

"Well, if Oliver would leave her alone," Lois remarked, serving Tess a small serving of potatoes.

"We're here for you both," Clark assured.

Tess felt her heart settle every time Clark was kind to her. Why did she always need men's approval? She kissed her baby and handed him back to Clark so she could attempt to eat. Clark graciously took him and Daniel was cooperative for the rest of her visit.

XxX

Tess put Daniel down for a nap, caressing his back briefly before making her way back downstairs. She could hear Oliver in the conservatory and knew that he'd slipped back into their house after another mission. His eyes lit up when he saw her, still seducing her with the devastating way he made her crave him.

However, that didn't alleviate her desire to punch him in the face.

"Lemme change and I'll be right back," he said to her after kissing her once on the lips.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern as he walked towards the bedroom.

"Yeah, I'm great. Nothing a little Bengay won't cure."

She left the conservatory and retrieved some crackers to help with her nausea. She sat by the fire, glad the weather would be cooler for the majority of this pregnancy. When Oliver rejoined her, she stood up and took a deep breath.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing her resigned expression.

She took a moment, thinking about having wanted to tell Oliver she was pregnant in a beautiful, emotional way. At least that's what she'd briefly contemplated on the off chance that they would have more children someday. Unfortunately she'd been up half the night, every night, since her son was born, and the thought of having an infant to care for while pregnant made her crazy.

She took Oliver's hand and placed it on her almost recovered stomach.

"Oliver…" but she looked down and didn't finish the sentence.

He tipped her chin up with his other hand.

"What? What is it?"

"I'm going to have another baby," she told him more flatly than she'd intended.

His eyes dropped briefly to her stomach and then back up at her.

"And don't look at me like that. Do you have any idea how much I want to kick the crap out of you right now?"

"That's your next line?" he asked her.

Her eyes raged at him and he took a step back for protection.

"'K, I get that you're frustrated," he attempted.

"Frustrated? You have no idea what it is like to be pregnant. It's exhausting and restrictive and I already _**have**_ a baby. I have a son that will be overshadowed by a newborn and you already have a happy look on your face-which shows you have no idea the work this will take!"

"I will help you, and we have access to any kind of help we need."

"I don't want my children raised by someone else! I didn't grow up with money, Oliver, so forgive me for still not being accustomed to what you have. And I don't want to be throwing up and taking naps during precious moments of Daniel's life."

"You want me to take time off? I can do that. I can take as much as six months off if you want me to."

"While I'm pregnant? That would be pointless. If I was asking you to take time off, I would need you more after this baby is born, but that's not my point."

"What is your point? Did you never want more children?"

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"I deserve the right to yell at you right now. I have to go through this while you get to stand beside me and watch. And I hadn't thought about more children yet, my baby is two months old!"

Just then her security guard brought in Lois and Clark, who stopped when they saw the anger on Tess's face.

"I don't think they were finished," Lois noted.

"What's wrong?" Tess snapped, still fuming.

"Nothing," Lois said quickly, not wanting to give away that they already knew.

As if on cue, Daniel cried, flooding the monitor speakers with his sobs.

"We can get him," Clark offered, placing his hands on Lois's shoulders.

"Good idea," Lois agreed. "We'll be upstairs."

Tess might've objected for a reason she couldn't even bother to come up, but she was grateful they left as quickly as they had.

Oliver approached her tentatively.

"Listen to me, what I care about is you. So whatever you want me to do, whatever you want to do, I'll support it. I know it's not my life, but you are mine, and I will do whatever it takes to make this easier for you."

He placed his hand back on her stomach.

"Do you want it?"

_Again, that so isn't the point._

"Stop acting like I'm the villain here. I just wanted to wait the normal two years before having another one. I'm not a monster, I'm just frustrated."

That was as much as she could give him while still thinking of the changes that would happen to her body all over again. She'd planned so many things-like the final surgery on her scars. His chest was scar-free now, but pregnancy had postponed her final procedure.

"I love you," he said to her, gathering her close. "And I want you to be happy about this, no matter how fast it came. I want to take care of you."

She reluctantly wrapped her arms around him, exhaling a frustrated breath.

"I love you too."

XxX

"Come here, sweetie," Lois said, reaching down and taking the precious two-month-old into her arms. "Look at him," she smiled to Clark.

"He looks more like Oliver right now. You think that'll stick?"

"I hope so, though if he does, I hope she has a girl."

"To take after her? Lois, I'm shocked."

"Shhh! There are probably cameras all over this house, Clark. Don't give me crap when it could be recorded."

He was surprised that she cared. Lois was trying so hard to gain Tess's good opinion, and Clark saw her aching for time with Tess's child. Tess might've been a harder person to win over, but Lois didn't have to do much to impress Oliver.

Clark reached forward and caressed Lois's thick brown locks, feeling her body easily lean back against him.

"How long do you wanna give them to talk it out?" Clark asked her.

"About nine months," she quipped.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**

**Notes: **Hi all! So I've gotten a few reviews about Tess not having a nanny yet and whether or not that's strange, being as that she's got plenty of money to do so. Since there's such a strong reaction, I'll address it.

First off, Tess is not opposed to _**ever**_ having a nanny, she's more opposed to that being the easy answer to being pregnant again so soon after having her baby. It's slightly offensive after how much she wanted Daniel for Oliver to say, "Just hire a nanny if you're tired," regardless of the resources she may have to do so. She wants to be with her baby. She's frustrated and has a right to be.

So while I understand that it seems that if you have a couple billion dollars, you'd just hire a couple of nannies to help you, which she may do (spoilers), that's not the point entirely. She wants a more regular life for her children, after all, in this story-she's not a Luthor.

Thanks so much! I so appreciate your comments and the reviews and I hope that makes some sense!


	3. Choice VS Fate

We Belong to the Thunder – Choice VS Fate

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Choice VS Fate

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **NC-17

**Thanks To: Jade, **for her magnificent Livejournal entry all about this topic, whether Lois is Clark's destiny or choice that I made this chapter about. She wrote my thoughts! *blows kisses*

XxX

Lois watched Clark. She watched Clark with Tess. She'd never felt so insecure in her life and drove her insane. It probably drove her insane because she was pissed off for finally liking Tess and after she'd yelled at Clark, defending Tess to him, it hadn't taken any time at all for Clark to be completely on Tess's side.

And now they were all one big happy family.

So what was wrong?

Tess was pregnant. Tess was pregnant and _she_wasn't.

So? So what? Lois hadn't been trying to get pregnant.

_Neither had Tess. __**Either **__time! _

She told herself to breathe, reminding herself that she had all the time in the world. Clark could never see her panicking this way. They _**would**_ have kids at some point. There was no rush. She was the career-driven one, after all. She only wanted this because Tess had it, right? Tess had it with her ex-boyfriend, the one who got away. If this were any two other people, this would mean nothing.

But now Clark was completely in awe of Tess's maternal side. And to make matters worse, so was she.

Tess wasn't just the dark, traitorous bitch Lois thought she was a year ago. And if she didn't have any number of things eating at her, maybe she wouldn't be so thoroughly irritated at Tess. _**Mercy**_, as she now and then heard Oliver refer to her when he thought she wasn't listening.

Was she jealous?

No. It just would've been nice to know that Tess hadn't found out _**first**_ that the love of her life was an alien from another planet or that Oliver hadn't had a great love before her that he'd never told her about.

_Dammit!_ What side of the bed did she wake up on?

Clark walked through the door. As soon as she looked at him, the other huge issue that had nothing to do with Tess, Oliver, or babies came down hard on her entire body.

"I picked up the wine, razor blades, vitamins, and printer cartridges you wanted," he told her, setting the bag on the counter and looking over at her.

_Could you make me sound any more like a childless woman?_

"Did I forget something?" he asked her.

"When was the last time you saw Lana?" she asked, her voice softer than the question had been screaming in her head.

He looked down, as if guilty, as if he wanted to avoid the subject, and that stabbed at Lois almost more deeply than if he'd spoken to Lana yesterday.

"At the wedding," he said simply. "When you were talking to her."

Lois stood up, trying to calm her paranoia.

"And what happened?"

"She left. You know what happened, Lois. You were there."

"I want you to tell me. I want you to tell me so I know two things, Clark."

"And what two things are those?" he asked, now meeting her hazel eyes.

"Do you love me?"

"What kind of a question is that? I married you! We've had this conversation and you know I love you more than anything. You know I chose you, that I will always choose you. You can bring her up as much as you want - it doesn't change that."

"Yeah, I can bring her up and she's still not here! Makes it a really easy choice for you, doesn't it?"

"You're my fate, Lois. You're who I'm meant to be with."

"Exactly," Lois nodded. "I'm your fate, _**not**_ the choice. Maybe I want to _**be**_that choice that she got to be for all those years. You chose her in spite of fate. You chose her over the fate that I was."

He shoved the grocery bag aside and gripped her arm.

"She was my first love and yes, I did love her. Your first love is still here and I'm really lucky that I don't have to watch you still, every day, wanting him back because that would kill me. And if you need some kind of closure that I can't give you with her, then I'm sorry. You _**are**_ my choice. I don't think about her when I look at you."

He searched her eyes, trying to see if he was getting through to her.

"I don't," he pushed, his eyes widening in seriousness. He took her hand and placed it on his heart.

"Do you think Tess is beautiful?" she asked.

He was thrown by the change of topic.

"Is that a trick question?" he asked her.

She managed to laugh despite her present state of mind.

"Wait, I know the answer to this," he said to her. "Whatever _**you**_ think, Lois," he parried, sustaining her laughter. "What kind of a question is that?" he asked, his smile turning a little more serious as he pulled her closer, flicking open the button of her jeans. "Get on the floor," he murmured softly against her lips.

The dead seriousness in his eyes turned her on. He pushed her jeans down her hips and increased their height difference by pressing on her shoulders before dropping to the floor with her. She exhaled when his hands roughly removed her top and cupped her breasts through her lace bra. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, not caring that there were still material barriers between them.

"I told _**you**_ my secret," he whispered, grinding against her panties, making her wet. "It's you I became I reporter for, a hero for; everything has been for you."

She reached for his pants frantically, undoing them as fast as she could as the ache inside her core spread throughout her whole body. He kissed her passionately as he pulled her underwear down her legs, opening her mouth with his tongue, feeling her catch his immediately. She moaned into his mouth and he pressed her back against the ground, using his enhanced abilities to rid them of the rest of their clothes.

"Tell me that you want me," she said breathlessly.

He parted her legs and laced her fingers through his, the simple motion being the most erotic thing she'd ever felt.

"I got you to marry me, didn't I?" he asked against her mouth.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she felt him pushing inside her slowly.

He kissed her, moaning the words back inside her mouth, feeling her coat him immediately with her dampness. His frantic movements would've hurt her if she hadn't been so wet, but she met his urgency, gnawing at his neck as the deep sighs came relentlessly from her throat. He begged her to come, not just once, but every time his fingers probed at her, eliciting cries from her that she was unprepared for. She tugged at his sweaty hair, and her legs shook from his powerful thrusts.

"Do you believe in me?" he asked, outlining her mouth with a finger.

She nodded. "I'd give you more than my life."

Looking down at her, he said a silent prayer that as his body collided with hers, they'd make a baby.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**

**Notes: **I really wanted to give Lois a voice to the whole "Lana Arc", to say nothing of the seven years of Clana we all had to endure. So even though Lois and Clark are already married, with the past of Clark's that Lois gets to live up to, I find it realistic that she might question her own relationship with him now and then.

In my opinion, she deserves reassurance from him. I, however, do not see them doubting it as often as they seemed to on the show-nor on their wedding day.


	4. Redheads Have More Fun

We Belong to the Thunder – Redheads Have More Fun

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Redheads Have More Fun

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG

XxX

Lois sat on the couch with her legs draped across Clark's lap, indulging in the feeling of his hands caressing her skin. Across from them, Daniel slept on Tess's chest and Oliver sat next to her.

"…I think it'd be good for you to have Perry help you at the Planet. You have three jobs and a baby, why not let Perry help you out?"

"Oh you just don't wanna see me there every day," Tess responded.

"Bullshit," Lois replied, not considering the presence of the baby. "I'm actually finally enjoying having you there. I'm just thinking of your sanity and the fact that you might want to have some energy left for your two children. It's just a thought. You'd still own it, Perry'd just help you run it."

Daniel began to fuss and Tess lifted him up.

"Okay, okay, okay," she said, handing him to Oliver. "He's getting mad."

"He's just tired," Oliver replied, taking him easily.

"Yeah well, so am I."

"Well, this house is now baby proof, courtesy of Lois," Clark half-teased.

Lois smacked Clark in the head, for all the good it did to smack a Kryptonian.

"He lives to irritate me, but yes, I aim to please if you ever need a night off."

The kitchen door opened and Martha Kent edged her suitcase inside as she warmly greeted her son.

"Clark?" she called out warmly.

Clark and Lois stood up to greet her.

"Lois!" Martha exclaimed, embracing her.

"It's so good to see you, but you've showed up unannounced again, and you didn't give me time to clean!"

Lois bent down to pick up Martha's suitcase but Martha halted her. "Lois, don't, sweetie," she said, cupping her face. "You're beautiful, you're so beautiful, and you never need to pick up after me or _**for**_ me. I just want to be here for my daughter."

"Me?" Lois asked in a tiny voice.

Martha pulled Lois into her arms and enveloped her tightly, caressing her rich brown hair.

"Of course, sweetie. Don't you know that by now?"

Daniel fussed in Oliver's arms, interrupting them and Martha looked over at Tess and Oliver.

"Tess," Martha said softly, still slightly surprised to see her despite her presence in Lois and Clark's wedding party.

Tess struggled not to feel the shame that still crept up her spine when she saw Mrs. Kent.

"Hi, Mrs. Kent." She was pissed off at herself for having sounded so nervous.

Martha took Tess's hand in hers. Even though they'd been in each other's presence briefly seven months earlier, Martha could see all over Tess's face that she still hadn't forgotten her first words to her. Martha felt her own regret as she saw guilt in the younger woman's eyes.

"You know what? From one redhead to another, perhaps the night we met wasn't my best," she said softly, wanting to finally free Tess from the remorse she still felt over the past.

_**Your**__ best? _ Tess thought.

Oliver stepped up behind Tess protectively as he situated Daniel in his arms. While Clark looked curious and Lois looked interested, Oliver was behind her, feeling her slight nervousness.

Martha smiled honestly at her. "I know all you've done for my son and I spoke then without knowing very much about you at all and I was out of line. Maybe you can understand that-being angry, being scared."

Tess looked at their connected hands and then back into Martha's eyes. "If you hadn't been out of line…" she trailed off, not liking the words she'd just chosen. "Someone always points out to me when I've gone too far in trying to be loyal to someone who's not worth it. So yes, some of the things you said were true and some of them weren't, but you still pushed me to get away from someone who was hurting me. And I appreciate that."

And then Martha grinned with relief at her, squeezing her hand supportively.

"Well, I'm glad none of us know what that was about," Lois mused, coming around on the other side of Tess.

"Like she said," Tess said, placing her hand on Lois's shoulder, which Martha didn't miss. "Not our best night."

"Well, is anyone going to introduce this beautiful baby?" Martha asked, remembering Tess pregnant the last time she'd seen her.

Oliver came forward and slid his son into Martha's arms, revealing his name to her proudly. Daniel's brown eyes looked up into Martha's. She looked over at Tess.

"He is yours?" she verified but Lois and Tess simply laughed.

"I pushed so he'd better be," Tess replied as Lois laughed against her shoulder.

"I didn't mean that the way it came out," Martha apologized, fearing she might've further offended Tess and Oliver. She quickly realized through their laughter, though, that she hadn't.

"Tell her the rest," Lois teased Tess.

"Would you stop?" Tess whispered back playfully.

"She's pregnant," Lois announced.

Martha looked down at the tiny baby that Daniel still was, and then back up at Tess.

"Exactly," Tess said. "I'm not that ambitious; I'm exhausted. And actually, Lois," she said, turning to her. "I'm starting to get…" she motioned with her hands that she was going to throw up.

"Go, go, it's fine," Lois said quickly and Tess dashed off. Lois turned to Clark. "I'm going to go after her. Could you make her a smoothie for her stomach?"

Oliver grabbed Lois's arm to halt her. "You know what, guys? If you keep treating her this way, she'll stop coming home to me. I'll go after her. I got it, thanks. If you could watch my son," he requested to Martha.

"We got it covered," Clark said, already by the blender.

XxX

"Are you okay?" Martha asked Tess with concern, cradling Daniel in her arms when Oliver guided her from the bathroom.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Tess said coming into the living room, but she looked like she'd been to war.

Oliver helped her to the chair across from Martha and she collapsed on it.

"You look exhausted," Martha commented sympathetically.

"You know it's pretty bad that most days I have to take my baby into the bathroom with me when I have morning sickness. Thankfully, this time I wasn't alone."

"She refuses more help, even from me half the time," Oliver told them as he covered her up with one of Clark's throws.

"Now that is not true," Tess replied. "I give him to you any time he lets me."

Oliver gave in. "You're right. But you could let more people help you. You take everything on yourself and now you're doing Watchtower too."

"Maybe I can sleep there," Tess replied easily, resting her face on the arm of the chair. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent, for watching my son."

Clark brought over the smoothie and sat beside his mother, all of them taking their places in the living room.

"Would you two like to come over for dinner sometime this week?" Martha asked Tess and Oliver.

"How long are you here for?" Oliver asked.

"This is my time. I want to be here for them," Martha smiled, placing her hand warmly in Clark's.

Tess smiled, wondering what it would've been like to have had a family like Clark's. Lex probably could've benefited from it too.

"You know, I have a brand new house that has a kitchen that has never been used. Why don't you all come over and the three of us can make dinner while the men watch the baby?"

"I have a slight tendency to burn things, though I'm getting better," Lois noted.

Tess rubbed her tired eyes.

"You can burn stuff. I'll eat it anyway. Besides, we'll all be making it together."

"We'd love to," Lois said, and Martha noticed how happy Lois seemed to be spending time with them.

Oliver came over to Martha and picked up his son.

"Well, I think I'm going to take these two home and put them both down for a nap."

Tess laughed sarcastically.

"With the list of things I have to do?"

"Aren't you on maternity leave?" Martha asked.

"Officially," Tess replied, getting up.

"Okay, first thing tomorrow, we're beginning the search for an official "everything go-to" person for you," Oliver said, placing his free hand on the small of her back and guiding her out.

"You know, Ollie, maybe _**you**_ could help her," Lois suggested.

"He'd do everything wrong," Tess teased as they reached the door. "Thank you so much. We'll see you this week."

Lois felt like she needed a bottle of wine to deal with the two of them sometimes. She shook her head to decompress quickly and looked at Martha.

"Wow."

"Strong constitution," Martha nodded, smiling.

"I'll take your bags upstairs," Clark offered.

"Do you want to change into something more comfortable?" Lois asked. "I could heat up some leftovers if you're hungry."

"That would be wonderful," Martha replied. "But I do want to see every photo from the wedding all over again as soon as I come back down," she smiled, tipping Lois's chin adoringly.

XxX

"He's really close to her, but not _**clingy**_ close. They just have a connection, a bond. Like she was waiting for him to fill that particular void," Lois explained as Martha caressed her wrist. "And he does. But he's so curious and focused…determined. But he also-fills a void in me. He looks at me and there are moments that I don't want to hand him back to her."

Martha watched with understanding as Lois's eyes wandered. She'd been going on about Daniel for several minutes, discussing every little detail about him: the way he breathed when he slept, his sighs, and the way he fell asleep against her without a second thought.

"Do you think I just love him because he's a baby, or do you think if I ever had one of my own that I'd still love him just as much?" Lois asked Martha.

"Are you asking me if you think your love is superficial? If you think he's filling the void you might feel for the baby you're waiting to have?"

Lois's eyes pleaded with Martha. "I don't want that. I don't want to believe I could ever be that selfish. I mean I _**love**_ him. When I'm with him, my heart feels like it opens in ways I didn't know were possible. I didn't know I could ever feel this way, especially for a child that isn't mine."

"How does Tess feel about that?"

Lois thought a moment. "She seems to appreciate it. There's no clashing, for once. I mean, I was the first one to know she was pregnant and I've been there from the minute he was born. It's been something more for us to have in common, to either be at odds over or be close over, and luckily, she lets me love her son."

Lois touched her lip with her index finger, deep in thought.

"And sometimes I'm afraid that if I did have a child of my own…that I wouldn't feel what I feel for Daniel."

Martha smiled at her with love. "Don't worry, Lois. You are full of love. You give it more freely than anyone I've ever known. Your heart will expand for as many children as you'll ever have, and you'll have plenty of love left for your friends' children."

Lois nodded once. "Yeah, but I'm not talking about the kind of love where you have a barbecue twice a year and enjoy all your friends' kids at the event. Daniel's different. I don't want to let that go or feel like it should be different."

"Then don't. But don't worry that you won't be able to love other children just as much. You'd be surprised at the amount of love your heart can give. I know how much I can love when I look at you. And sometimes it's immediate, and sometimes it surprises you. But it's always real."

Clark trampled down the staircase loudly.

"Okay, so am I cooking or are we going out?"

Somehow, Lois laughed at that. "Do men ever sit around and think about this stuff?" she asked Martha.

"Think about what?" he asked.

Martha looked at Lois.

"I think he just answered your question."

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**

**Notes: **Okay, so Martha needed to be WHOA redeemed after Hostage. Not cool, man. So I chose to give her the graciousness and warmth towards Tess that I believe she would've had were they ever on camera again. But nooooooo, it's all left to us fic writers. It's okay, I'm not really that upset. *clears throat*

So anyway, I loved Martha's relationship with Lois and I wanted to expand on it, to say nothing of integrating a little mythos into the Daily Planet. Perry could absolutely run it for Tess! Come on! Anyway, I love this universe and while I don't feel that I'm writing it very well, but it's wonderfully fun, so thank you for reading.


	5. White Lightning

We Belong to the Thunder – White Lightning

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title:**White Lightning

**Series:**We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre:**Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating:**NC-17

XxX

There were seven different bodies of water on her property. She ached for water, after all, she was in the Midwest. The pillars of fire illuminated at night and the indoor pool lead to the outside. The arched ceiling cascaded over the enclosed pool that was painted brightly for daytime while at night the lights in its sky represented the stars and their placements in the constellations.

She swam several laps outside, slipping underneath the waterfall and through a curved hallway to her sauna. She stretched out her muscles, doing some much needed yoga. She tried to decompress as she felt the water evaporate off her skin. When she was satisfied with her progress, she rinsed her hair in the shower and slipped on a silver nightgown that hit her mid-thigh.

Oliver would be home any minute and she dreaded seeing him. She didn't want to try to be beautiful for him, for him to comment adoringly on her freckles, the way she smelled, or what she looked like when she'd been working up a sweat. He wouldn't-not right now, not if she didn't initiate it. That was probably because she'd been distant from him since the moment he'd gotten her pregnant.

He had been completely understanding of her frustration, which made it almost worse. If he'd been a jerk, she would've been prepared to fire her rage back at him. But he was supportive, helpful, and completely there for her and Daniel.

And now she felt hungry inside. Hungry for him and all the energy they had together.

She was combing her wet hair meticulously when she heard him changing out his Green Arrow attire. When she came out, his eyes lit up and he smiled that mischievous grin that sometimes had no underlying reason, but it still made her heart pound.

"What?" he asked, his eyes immediately noticing her bare legs as she stood there. She was amazed that he was instantly able to tell something was on her mind.

She wanted to tell him not to bother changing into another set of clothes, but she didn't currently have the confidence. She was pregnant again, but not only was she pregnant, she was a mother. She walked towards him and sat down on the bed.

"Oliver," she said, attempting not to stutter. Irritated at his distraction, she stood up and ripped the arrow out of his hand, making him laugh.

"I love it when you get feisty," he smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"You leave your shit all over my house! Pick your arrows up off my floor!"

"It's still _**your**_ house?"

He pulled her closer and her eyes watched as his dropped to her mouth. Then his lips descended onto hers, the sensation creating goosebumps on her arms instantly. She dropped the arrow and gripped his shoulders, kissing him back.

He slid his thumbs across her cheeks as he cupped her face. He pulled back for her sake. She knew that, so she still had to ask him.

"Do I have to beg you?" she asked him. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry for the way I've been but all day _**every**_ day I'm tired, nauseous, and scared. But I also feel like if you don't kiss me right now, I'll have to go and sleep with the entire male population within the hour."

"Within the hour? Really?"

She pushed on his chest with her hands to make space between them, pissed off that he'd made fun of her.

"Don't," he said to her, pulling her closer. "I like you to beg, but not like that," he whispered, drawing her mouth to his.

He'd waited over a month for her to want him again, and the last thing he'd let her be was turned off by him. He pushed her down on the bed, determined to satisfy her. She would be writhing and he would smell her come.

"I still…want you to want me. I don't want pity," she whispered as he removed his remaining clothes.

"You could've used another word."

"Oh you're _**so**_ funny," she sighed sarcastically as he kissed her, knowing he was thinking of was his nickname for her.

She moaned into his mouth as he rocked against her, the irritating ache she'd had all day finally being soothed as his lips swept across her face.

"I can't believe you'd think I'd be a nice enough guy to get past my own motives in this," he whispered playfully.

"Maybe for a minute or two," she smiled. "Take my clothes off," she insisted feverishly.

He didn't waste any time with her request, swiftly removing her nightgown and slipping between her legs. He could feel her wet and burning against him as moved up to her entrance, allowing her to caress his face with her mouth.

"I love you," she murmured as she nipped and kissed his jaw, bringing his torso closer to her.

"Do you know how much I missed you?" he asked her.

"No," she replied into his ear. "Show me."

He gripped her hips and flipped her over, positioning her on all fours, pulling her long, red hair to draw her head back. She sighed with anticipation at his fluid movements, releasing a moan when his tongue drew a wet trail along the line of her back. She whimpered when she felt him align himself with her dripping core, feeling his hands on her shoulders as he slid into her, hard and fast.

She rocked back against him as he traced his lips along her spine, the imprints of his teeth making their marks with each thrust of his hips.

Almost immediately he felt her trembling, saw the sweat glistening on her back and he wrapped an arm protectively around her stomach and nipped at her ear.

"_**Wait**_," he pleaded, knowing that she was on the brink of her orgasm. "Don't come without me-please," he begged.

She swallowed, bracing herself, holding back her release for him as he licked the shell of her ear, moving against her with urgent, penetrating strokes. He leaned over her possessively, brushing her hair from the back of her neck. She cried out when his teeth grazed her neck, in an attempt to hold her down as his hands wandered her body.

"Tell me how much you want it," he said into her ear as his hands cupped her breasts, gently flicking her nipples.

She turned her face to the side, whimpering as she gripped him harder with her muscles. He cried out in response, slamming into her as his lips tugged at her earlobe. His fingers crept lower, slipping down to tease her, urging her further.

"Dammit, I need you," he breathed, sucking her earlobe into his mouth.

His mouth refused to leave her face and she ducked her head in anticipation while he reveled in the noises of pleasure she made beneath him. His fingers stroked her, pushing the climax on her as she writhed beneath him, making sure her orgasm collided with his, crackling through her entire body.

He cried out against her neck as the spasms swept through him, shaking him as he grabbed her body and pulled them both to their sides, collapsing sweaty and trembling.

Barely giving himself time to recover, he rolled her onto her back and climbed on top of her. She lifted her head up to kiss him, sighing as he slid his hand up her inner thigh. Her heart dropped and she felt the ache in her body spread rapidly as if she hadn't just been satisfied.

"I don't-" she murmured, cut off by his kiss.

"What?" he asked her, too busy enjoying her mouth.

"…I don't want you to stop."

"Who said anything about stopping?"

His mouth briskly left hers to travel down her neck, nicking the delicate skin before settling between her shivering, parted legs.

His mouth settled intently on her clit, making pattered strokes with his tongue. She twisted against his face and he sucked harder, urging her on.

"Oliver!" she cried out, the tantalizing waves crashing inside her.

He listened to her sharp breaths, the breaths that she tried to control, spurring on his ambition.

"Come on, Tess," he pushed between tastes.

She felt his ruthless strokes even as self-conscious thoughts invaded her over having given birth, echoing in her mind between cries. She inhaled, pleading with him to stop.

"Oliver-wait, please."

She knew she would come if he didn't stop so she reached down and pulled him up.

"Just wait a minute," she breathed, loving the feel of his body over hers.

"What is it?" he whispered tenderly.

Her chest rose and fell with excitement. "Just kiss me," she whispered, lifting her face to his. "Please."

He caught her mouth easily, sucking hard on her lips until they both moaned. She wrapped her arms around him, aligning him with her body. But he wasn't finished as he ripped his mouth from hers, hearing her frustrated sigh as he determinedly made his way back down her body.

He wasted no time with his mouth, his tongue making long sweeps over her folds. His fingers held her legs open as he drove her crazy, feeling her muscles begin to convulse against him.

Her fingers twisted in his hair as she cried out, coming easily against him, dripping wet against his lips. He immediately soothed her by lapping up her juices, cooling her hot muscles with languid sweeps.

The waves continued to crash inside her as she felt his tongue gently stroking her, the effects of her orgasm subsiding slowly.

Oliver wiped his mouth and rose back over her, his hand passing by her stomach as he did so. He settled over her, watching the way she looked up at him when he touched her.

"You don't have to do that because I'm pregnant," she told him, still breathless.

"Pregnant?" he repeated. "Then what was my excuse before?"

He gathered her up in his arms, sweeping his lips over her face, combing her hair with his fingers.

"Did you think it would be different after we had kids?" he asked her between kisses. "You're mine, and I'm never going to _**let**_ you stop wanting me."

He gently pushed himself inside her, swallowing her moan through his kiss.

"Do I make you come?" he asked her, thrusting slowly.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Do I make you wet?"

"Oliver," she whimpered, squeezing him inside her.

He felt his impending orgasm as he watched her run the tip of her tongue along her upper lip, trying to hold out for him. Leaning down, he licked her lips, probing them open and tangling his tongue with hers.

"Please, Tess," he begged, pulling back from her mouth. "Don't-leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere," she replied vehemently, opening her legs wider as her muscles contracted involuntarily.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, locking her gaze with his as she came, trusting in his need for her as she received him completely.

He cried out his nickname for her as he climaxed, his hands clawing her hair.

He collapsed onto her, a rush of emotions overcoming him. She stroked his slick back and crossed her legs behind him. He pulled her close, holding onto her for dear life.

"Except maybe to sleep," he heard her say.

It took a minute for him to remember their previous conversation and then he blatantly refused her by kissing her deeply.

"No," he murmured. "One more time, please."

She laughed softly into the kiss. "Tomorrow, I promise, tomorrow. I have to get up at five."

He stroked her stomach, gliding up to her breasts as he rained kisses along her neck.

"I can make you come quickly," he promised.

"Couldn't I just go to sleep while you did whatever? If I gave you permission?" she asked warily.

"No!" he protested, making her laugh. "You're supposed to be on maternity leave, you don't _**have**_ to go to Watchtower tomorrow to have a goddamn video conference with the team."

"I do too," she replied, receiving another passionate kiss. "And I don't get the luxury of coffee every morning."

"I won't have coffee either, it's settled."

"I'm not trying to deny you coffee."

"How about you not deny me you?"

She sighed with amused frustration. He'd won the argument and he knew it. She smiled in response to the look of success she saw reflected in his eyes.

"I am going to complain so much tomorrow," she whispered, bringing his mouth to hers.

Immediately he shoved two fingers inside her, using his thumb to put pressure on her clit, gliding through her folds using her own wetness. She shivered against his lips, her fingers resting against his face as she braced herself for more teasing.

"You weren't kidding," she said softly.

He bit at her lower lip, needing her desperately as he pulled his fingers out of her and braced himself between her thighs again. He moaned into her mouth, feeling the unrelenting desire radiating off of her.

The baby monitor went off and they could both hear their son crying.

Aggravated groans came from both their mouths as Oliver's forehead collided with Tess's.

"And the more kids we have, the more of them there'll be to interrupt us," she noted.

She began to move to go to her son but Oliver stopped her.

"No, you take care of the one you're carrying and I'll get this one. You stay here and rest."

"You sure?"

He got his robe on.

"Can you sleep?"

"I'll be asleep before you reach his room," she said, getting under the covers. "I'm not even going to fight you." She blew a kiss to him. "I love you."

She was asleep before he even left the room.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	6. Edge of Glory

We Belong to the Thunder – Edge of Glory

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Edge of Glory

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

XxX

_**Eight Months Earlier**_

_Lois swayed in the arms of her husband, so engulfed in the feeling of happiness she was almost worried this day wouldn't bring her. But looking into his big blue eyes, the suggestive thoughts she could see in them as his hands held her back, she knew the hype-talk surrounding a wedding day was nothing to the real thing._

"_I never want that look to leave your eyes," he told her._

"_It won't," she vowed. "I'm strong in my convictions."_

"_Well, I'm pretty strong in wanting to leave the dance floor and find a bedroom."_

_He looked her up and down, the satin draped duchess gown with a tulle skirt making him lick his lips in anticipation of when they would be away from the crowd of guests. Her fingers caressed his face and she smiled, wishing it would be easier to slip away and that they weren't both the center of attention right now._

"_I promise that you can rip the dress off. I'll let you destroy it."_

_Across the dance floor, Tess watched with a hopeful smile until Oliver tugged at her. She looked back at him._

"_They're happy, relax," he said to her._

_He pulled her closer, holding her as they danced. She tried not to be distracted by wanting everything to be perfect for Lois and Clark. She was extremely surprised when Lois had asked her to be a bridesmaid along with Lucy. Oliver had been chosen to be groomsman and Chloe, was of course, maid of honor. Tess assured Lois that the situation wasn't uncomfortable for her when Lois had presented her with a gown that she wanted Tess to wear at the last minute, pleading with her to be a part of the ceremony._

_Oliver pushed Tess to accept after she had supported Lois and helped her plan the last minute details. _

_Tess, being six months pregnant, was given a metallic duchess draped empire gown with an aquamarine jeweled corsage. _

_Lucy had driven Tess crazy during the bridal shower and all through the hours leading up to the actual ceremony, and although Chloe had tried to help, Lucy latched onto Tess, feeling they were more the outsiders. Unfortunately Lois didn't have time to rescue anyone from Lucy. _

_Tess chose to tend to Lucy and Lois as she could, but not overstep the place that was rightfully Chloe's. Chloe was kind to her, but Tess sensed that Chloe felt she was encroaching upon her place in Lois's heart, so she worked to stay as far from Lois as possible and focus on the wedding preparations, giving the three relatives alone time._

_That didn't go unnoticed by Lois at all._

_She felt pulled and tugged on a very special day and she noticed that Tess was not someone demanding attention. _

_Lois, dancing in Clark's arms, could feel Tess's eyes on her and she smiled, reciprocating concern for the soon-to-be mother. _

"_Everything is exactly how I wanted it," Lois told him. "Chloe's speech was perfect, she's happy and in love, my sister was here, your mother, everyone, everything is exactly how it should be. If only your dad were here."_

"_He could've walked you down the aisle," Clark said._

"_I had your mother walk me down the aisle, but yes, that would've been…perfect."_

"_He's here in spirit, and so is your mother."_

_His hand touched her cheek, his lips brushing against hers._

"_Tess?" Oliver asked, snapping her focus from Lois and Clark._

"_Yes, I'm paying attention."_

"_You are not."_

"_I'm sorry; I'm here."_

"_You're not responsible for the entire wedding."_

"_Oliver," she sighed, relaxing in his arms. "I'm in a whiter dress than she is and I'm six months pregnant. I feel ridiculous. Give me a break."_

"_You know underneath all that insecurity how beautiful you are, Mercy. When you flash those angry green eyes at me, it's all I can do not to imagine things you'd just assume I not in public."_

"_Well so far, I'm not angry at you. Amazing, I know."_

_He pulled her closer. "You **are** distracted. What are you not telling me?"_

_Tess finally saw her in the distance._

"_That, there she is. Lois asked me to invite her when I told her we had a friendship-let me go."_

_Oliver saw Lana Lang in the distance._

"_You invited Lana to Clark and Lois's wedding?"_

"_Lois asked me to, let go!" she smiled, pushing him off of her playfully. "I have to greet her, I haven't seen her in over a year."_

_Oliver could tell just from that sentence how much Tess had missed Lana. He knew they had Lex between them, and that Lana had helped Tess find the strength within herself after Lex's betrayal, but the details beyond that were fuzzy. Tess had spent some time with Lana, but not as much as she would've preferred. The geographical space was a problem, but they'd made the effort to see each other anyway. Oliver watched Tess go towards Lana as Chloe came into his view._

"_No!" he professed, grabbing Chloe's arm._

"_That's Lana!" she protested, trying to pull free gently. "She's my best friend! Let me go!"_

"_Just give them a few minutes. Tess invited her, please, Tess invited her for Lois."_

_Chloe frowned in confusion._

"_Why would Tess invite her?"_

"_Because they have a friendship._ _Because of Lex. They haven't seen each other in over a year, just a few minutes, please."_

_Chloe's patience was wearing thin and she didn't even know why. Leaving Smallville was making her feel insignificant and she knew she wasn't, but she'd placed too much on being the center of things in this town. Her life now felt more complete than playing second banana to Lana or Lois in Clark's heart, to being something so forced with Oliver, but still, she hadn't expected her home to make her feel this way upon visits either._

"_Fine," she agreed eloquently, standing beside him to watch Tess approach Lana. "Does Tess know Lana can't be near Clark?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Does Lois?"_

"_I'd imagine. You look beautiful by the way."_

_She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Thank you," she replied, his compliment not penetrating her much. "I'm going to go tell Lois and Clark that Lana's here. Why don't you leave the dance floor if you're going to keep staring at them?" she whispered as she left his side._

_Chloe left his side and quickly reached her best friend and cousin, tapping Lois gently on the shoulder._

"_Lana's here," she said softly, parting the newlywed's romantic dance._

_They both looked up, seeing the redhead and brunette talking closely in the distance. Lois took in a soft breath._

"_Good," she said hesitantly. She was glad Tess was already over there. It would be easier to approach Lana that way. "Do you want me to say anything for you?" Lois asked Clark._

_Clark smiled at Lois after looking at his former love. "Thank her for coming and tell her how much I appreciate it. I wish I could tell her in person how much her support means."_

_He kissed Lois's hand without ever letting go of her eyes. Lois kissed him before leaving his side. Clark looked at his best friend._

"_May I have this dance?" he asked her._

_Chloe smiled. "Right now?"_

"_Yes, right now. I miss you every day. I'd be honored."_

_He was still the most charming man to her. She was glad her heart didn't flutter every time he looked at her now, but there would never come a day when she'd be able to deny the beauty of his soul. She let him lead her to the dance floor._

"_Tess? Incoming," Lana warned._

_Tess turned her face as a plate was shoved in her direction._

"_What? Oh my god," she said, taking the plate. "What is this?"_

"_When was the last time you ate?" Lois asked. "She's pregnant," Lois commented to Lana._

_Lana smiled, always amused by Lois. "Yes, I noticed that."_

"_What do you mean?" Tess asked, trying not to get the food on her dress. _

"_I haven't seen you eat all day."_

"_You're not my mother, Lois. Quit badgering me."_

"_When?"_ _Lois pushed._

"_Six o'clock, and I'll eat when I damned well want to."_

"_Tess, the baby needs food. You can't go almost twelve hours without eating-"_

"_For the love of god!"_ _Tess cried out, shoving a mini quiche in her mouth in surrender, making Lana crack up. Tess chewed mutinously and a look of achievement crossed Lois's face. "Oh don't look so damned proud of yourself," Tess said, her mouth full. "And you could say hello to her," she motioned to Lana._

_Tess started to step aside but Lana subtly took hold of her hand, as if needing sisterly protection in an uncomfortable situation. Tess stayed where she was. Lois's eyes washed over Lana awkwardly, yet warmly, wanting to reach out._

"_Thank you for coming, it means a lot. You've been greatly missed."_

"_Of course I'd show up for the both of you. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you two have each other. And you look beautiful, Lois. Oh and my present is on its way. It's a painting I found in Rome. It has great sentimental value to me but if it's not your taste, please just take it as a sentiment of my happiness for you two."_

_Lois came forward and wrapped her arms around Lana. Lana then let go of Tess's wrist and returned Lois's embrace. Tess looked across the dance floor to see Clark smiling. She smiled back._

"_Where are you going?" Lois demanded when Tess started edging away._

"_Well, now I'm going to go eat. I'm hungry. After photos, you and me, Ace of Clubs?" she asked Lana._

"_Absolutely."_

"_You're going to meet at a bar when you're six months pregnant?" Lois asked._

"_Well, I didn't want to invite her to the Luthor mansion."_

"_I do want to see your new house when it's finished," Lana said._

_Chloe came over to the three of them. Lana's eyes lit up._

"_Chloe," she breathed happily._

_Chloe walked into her arms._

"_I missed you so much."_

"_Come on, I'll eat with you so we look really bad for the photos," Lois said to Tess, leaving the two best friends alone._

_Five minutes later, Tess felt under a microscope as she ate. _

"_Don't you have a new husband to go dance with?" she asked, taking a bite of food._

"_I want you to have my bouquet," Lois told her._

_Tess eyed her. "I'm sorry?"_

"_I want you to have it, Tess. From me to you. Not that if you marry Oliver, you'd necessarily have my taste, but consider it luck, or just sheer pressure."_

"_Don't you have a sister and a cousin to give out gifts to?"_

"_Believe it or not, I can spare more than one thing. I wanted this for you. Are you incapable of being moved by a friendly gesture?"_

_Tess smiled a little. "I receive them so rarely from you, I wasn't sure what it was," she teased. _

"_You are the most difficult person I have ever met," Lois sighed. "I'm going to give my sister your phone number."_

"_Play nice, I'm still pumped full of hormones." Tess lightly touched Lois's thick curls. "You're a beautiful woman, Lois. And of course I accept it."_

_Tess immediately looked down, shy, as if she didn't deserve the honor. Lois tipped her chin up._

"_You'd be a beautiful bride too."_

"_Don't," Tess replied._

_Lois rolled her eyes. "Oh geez, when I get back from my honeymoon, you and I are having such a long conversation about self-confidence."_

_Lois stood up and Tess glared slightly at her._

"_I don't need tips about strength from you," she shot back._

"_I didn't say nothing about strength," Lois replied. "You have that in spades, my friend."_

_Lois noticed Tess's tightened jaw and felt her "fuck off" vibe._

"_Tess?"_

"_What?"_

"_Lower the shield, not only am I on your side, but I like you and I'm rooting for you and him. Forever. So cheer up in time for photos and then you can go talk about me behind my back with Lana."_

_Lois left in pursuit of her husband. Tess lost her appetite just in time to be tapped on the shoulder by Oliver._

"_You okay?" he asked her._

"_I swear to god, some of the people you date," she said tersely._

_He smiled. "I'm going to assume we mean past tense, and you must be referring to the bride," he said, sitting across from her._

"_Has she ever had one opinion she hasn't verbalized?"_

"_I don't know, have you?"_

"_Oh don't compare me to her, it's really not cute."_

_His grin was enormous and she pushed his chest. _

"_Stop!"_

_He grabbed her wrist. "Don't cause too much of a scene at a wedding," he laughed, leaning in and kissing her. "I'm going to cause the scene," he said, cupping her face._

_She gripped his neck, both irritated and happy to have his attention. She kissed him back, every day feeling more and more the trust that she did the first time she laid eyes on him. Sometimes she wished the fire between them would burn out so she would be done with this. But when she felt his skin against hers, she was so grateful for the range of emotions coursing through her veins in response to him. The stronger part of her never wanted to let that go._

_XxX_

"_I love you," she whispered, caressing his thick locks of dark brown hair._

_His hand stroked her bare back, soothing her in a way she never experienced before him._

"_I love you too. More than anything."_

_He rolled her onto her back, gently climbing over her and cupping her breasts tightly, kneading them as energy began flowing through her. He squeezed them gently, moving between her parted thighs as his mouth descended onto hers. They moved slowly, teasing, reveling. He knew her doubts and fears behind her zany confidence. As he moved his body inside of hers, he promised himself that he would give her anything, and be the man she deserved._

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**

**Notes: **I know it's insanely odd to insert a flashback chapter in the middle of this story, but I really wanted to write a little bit about what was going on during Tess's first pregnancy. Also, I'd written in _**Bad Romance**_ that Lois and Clark were actually engaged and unlike the show, in my universe they manage to wed without taking 7 years.

So, simple chapter, wanting those elements touched on! Thanks so much!


	7. Fingiendo

We Belong to the Thunder – Fingiendo

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Fingiendo

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Lois/Clark Romance, Tess/Oliver Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **NC-17

XxX

Oliver was walking through the house looking for Tess, whom he knew had beaten him home. She'd left the Daily Planet early to spend a half day at Watchtower. Clark and Lois helped him keep tabs on her, but she did her own thing and sometimes he worried that she would fall out of his grasp. Would she ever tire of him and up and leave with their kids?

He found her in the library, which was still partially under construction, lying down on the floor with Daniel propped up against her knees sitting on her four month pregnant belly, trying to get a photograph of him. Daniel whimpered for her as she lay back, attempting to get a good shot of him.

"Come on, I'm not trying to torture you," she said playfully, not reaching out to hold him just yet. "Can you give me just one smile? You're such a happy baby and I just want one smile for the camera so Daddy can see."

He fussed and protested until she knew there was no use. She sat up and pulled him into her arms, placing the camera in front of them both and planted a kiss on his fat baby face, releasing the shutter button with her finger.

Oliver chuckled and came into the room, lowering himself onto the floor beside them. She lifted her face to receive his kiss and smiled when he looked at their son.

"I want that photo," he told her, picking Daniel up and holding him.

She covered her mouth and yawned, nodding.

"Do you need a nap?" he asked, more concerned than teasing.

"I'm just tired."

"Well you have three jobs and a baby and you're pregnant."

"And I have Lois."

"She's just happy for you."

"She's on me all day long," Tess sighed in aggravation. "If I eat the wrong kind of sandwich, she has a fit."

"Hey, I'm glad to know someone's helping you."

"Helping? She's more concerned with my pregnancy than my doctor is. If I step out of my office she wants to know where I'm going and when I'll be back. She has about three more days before I downgrade her from friend to pain in my ass."

He grinned with amusement, bobbing Daniel lightly on his lap while Tess laid her head on his shoulder, resting after a long day. She looked at her son.

"He looks just like you," she said softly with a smile. "It's like I wasn't even there."

"I know," he replied, touching Daniel's face. "So make this one a girl and make her look just like you."

"'Cause I have complete control over it. You don't want them to look like each other?"

"I want one that looks like you. I don't want to look at myself."

"Sure you do!"

Oliver released an irritated sigh and she laughed. "Alright," he said, ending their teasing exchange. They played with their son for several minutes until Oliver could see that Daniel's eyes were red and tired. "He needs a nap," he told her, standing up.

"We just got home," she countered, though she knew he was right.

"I know, he'll be up in a little while."

He called for the nanny to take him to the nursery. When he turned back to Tess sitting on the floor with her knees to her chest, he swore he'd unconsciously put Daniel down for a nap for some alone time with her. In seconds he had her lying on her back and he was caressing her stomach with kisses.

She ran her fingers through his hair, thinking about the ease he brought to her muscles when his mouth touched her skin.

"Look at me," she said softly, bringing his face lightly up with one hand.

She turned onto her side and he followed, his face across from hers. His eyes washed over her and she smiled slightly, looking down for a minute, then she met his gaze again.

"You know I've always tried to gain acceptance from people, and for awhile I had what I thought was power. But there was a lot of danger and I had to do things, be things for people that made me forget what it felt like to really feel. I became such a good actor, to them and to myself, especially when I let them touch me. And then when you would touch me, I would remember underneath my acting what that authenticity feels like. Whether I wanted it or not, you've always been that person for me."

Oliver reached a hand to her cheek.

"Did they hurt you?"

She chose to deflect the question. "That's what the acting was for," she replied with a small smile. "You were able to break through that, though. Even when I didn't really want you to."

"No acting?" he asked her.

She shook her head. He kissed her swiftly, always knowing how easy it had been to ignite the passion inside her, and selfishly he was grateful that it wasn't as easy for every other man to do the same.

He braced his hand on the floor and pushed her back against it, cupping the back of her head and kissing her until he could hear her sharp intake of breath beneath him. She bit lightly at his lips, pushing his jacket off and pulling him over her.

"You don't have to prove anything to me, or promise me anything, or marry me," she whispered.

He pulled back, looking down at her with confusion. He had asked her to marry him several times, only to receive a vehement refusal.

"But I will do all of those things," he assured her.

He wasn't put off by her stubbornness and he'd gotten her to do everything he'd wanted so far. He'd been right, so he'd succeed in the rest. That probably wasn't the best way of thinking, but he'd never wanted anything so badly in his life, and he wasn't about to let her bullheaded ways scare him off.

She lifted her head and kissed him. "It's a good thing I love you."

He began lifting her top off as he ran his lips along her jaw.

"Then let me put a damn ring on your finger."

"How romantic," she said dryly.

He slid her shirt off of her and threw it to the side, his fingers peeling down her bra cup and gently teasing her. The look in her eyes made him hard instantly.

"Keep looking at me," he said to her.

Her eyes flooded with a hundred different emotions that fueled his inner fire. He never worried that when he touched her and made her come that she'd run from him afterwards. He knew that she could feel how much he loved her. He'd never cared to touch anyone like he touched her, and she was strong enough to let him consume her.

"I need to be covered in you," he breathed, licking her lower lip, opening her mouth with his.

She moaned urgently, her hands moving to his pants as she struggled to keep kissing him. His kiss was ruthless and beautiful as she felt her head brush against soft carpet. She arched her back so he could unclasp her bra, frantically pushing off his pants and biting at his chin.

"Please, baby," she whispered, making him shiver with the way she used her tongue.

He cupped her full breast gently, running his finger over her tightened nipple, receiving a moan in response from her.

"You like that?" he asked, running his lips lightly over her face.

She nodded, using her hand to still his face, grazing his lips with her teeth. She moaned louder when his fingers put pressure on the delicate skin. His lips broke from hers, dipping lower to enclose his mouth over her nipple. His fingers were everywhere, pulling at her remaining layers of clothing as his tongue teased her, his mouth sucking hard until he heard her cry out.

He positioned himself between her legs, needing to feel her wetness against him. He cupped her head, her red hair tangled in his fingers. She looked at his half open eyes that were focused on her while his hands grasped her head protectively. His lips brushed against hers as his hips opened her legs wider, the intentional friction he caused eliciting a soft gasp from her throat.

"I love you," he breathed into her hair, making her burn as he teased her with purposeful hesitation.

"Oliver," she pleaded, her nails pressing into his back.

He leaned her head back, kissing her open mouth as he swiftly pushed inside her. She feasted on his mouth, surrendering to him as he hovered over her, tasting her and thrusting into her.

He removed his mouth from hers, tracing his lips in wet patterns on her neck, enjoying listening to her cries as he drove her closer to her orgasm. He still wanted her every night; the scent of her arousal, her sweat and leftover perfume all over him. He scraped his teeth down her neck, and he felt her muscles squeeze him mercilessly as rushes of her juices coated him.

"Oh god—_**please**_, Oliver," she cried, latching onto his shoulders as his tongue flicked over her jugular.

He pressed her hand against the floor, lacing it with his as he drove into her, needing the release as badly as she did.

"Do you want it, Tess?" he whispered over her.

She held onto him, feeling her orgasm tearing through her. "I _**always**_ want it."

She threw her head back, nearly screaming with pleasure. His orgasm hit the moment hers did. He held down her wrists, completely drowning her with everything that he was as he came inside her.

She held his fingers tightly in hers, listening to his gasping breaths as the waves finished coursing through her. Her body trembled as the sensations continued to tantalize it. His body covered hers, slickened and exhausted, as he looked down at her satisfied expression. Keeping her up all night was rarer now that she needed a full night's sleep, but when he kissed her afterwards and received the sense from her that she was completely happy, it was something different for him to revel in.

Still, his ambition to keep her completely in love and wanting him wasn't completely actualized as he rolled gently off of her and pulled her to him. He kept her wrapped in his arms, kissing her face as satisfied sighs came from her lips.

"Do you want me to do anything that I'm not doing?" he asked her softly.

She smiled, thinking that was a ridiculous question. "What do you mean?"

"You'd tell me, right? If you wanted something more?"

She turned her head to catch his mouth, kissing him softly. "Don't make me admit to you how good it is, you'll use it against me the next time we fight."

She pushed him back and laid on his bare chest, running her hands over it, content. Both of them still shook slightly, exhaling quivering breaths.

She knew that she should've slept, but she wanted to watch her son. She knew there wouldn't be much more time when it was just three of them, so she went into the nursery with Oliver and they watched their son sleep, gushing quietly over every perfect detail of their baby.

XxX

He'd had just saved a woman being assaulted while taking a shortcut home in a way he hadn't cared to see on a Tuesday night-or any night for that matter. Sometimes it was hard to save someone and leave, no matter how relieved or the grateful look her face was afterwards. Even after pulling the guy off of her, even after not inflicting more damage on him than he had, releasing the anger he felt towards the injustice he'd just witnessed was harder than he wanted to admit to himself.

But when Clark stepped into his house and saw Lois standing over a pot of boiling food in a long shirt that clung to her lush body and hung at her thighs, he felt more for her than sexual desire. He could've thrown her against the cabinets and he probably would momentarily, but he wanted to revel in the joy of her being in his life. No matter what horrors there were out there, she was here waiting for him. She accepted him and all of his flaws.

Some people had no one, and he had a woman who drove him crazy and made him better in every possible way.

"Come taste this," she said to him, not even needing to look his direction to know he was there.

Even Clark Kent's mind went to scandalous places when she said that. He was at her in an instant, tearing the ladle from her hand and kissing her neck.

"It's not burned yet," she half protested, proud of her successful meal.

"Turn off the stove," he said. "That'll help it stay edible."

His fingers dove beneath her black lace panties and slid them down her thighs while gently marking her neck with his teeth. He left her shirt on and scooped her up, laying her on the minimal part of the kitchen table that was still bare and ran a hand up her thigh. She pushed off his pants and the instant she felt his body make contact, she wrapped her legs around him and urged the friction. It took seconds for her to be wet and even less time for her to plead with him to make love to her.

She squeezed his hands as she writhed, clenching her muscles around him when he pushed into her. She squirmed with her orgasm but he held her in place, licking the roof of her mouth and swallowing her cry, releasing himself hard inside her.

XxX

"Do you hear my phone?" Lois asked.

"Remarkably, I wasn't listening for it."

Lois gently pushed him off of her and reached for her purse. She pulled her cell out and saw a picture text of Tess and Daniel from a few hours earlier. She felt a rush of joy to her heart and showed it to Clark immediately.

"Isn't that beautiful?" she said.

"It is," he replied, tucking a strand of her damp hair behind her ear.

She set the phone down, glowing for a number of reasons.

"Let's eat," she smiled.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	8. Hanging By a Moment

We Belong to the Thunder – Hanging By a Moment

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Hanging By a Moment

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

XxX

She was still adjusting to being back at work and the house was still under extreme construction. She admired women who did it all on their own but she wondered if juggling more or less three careers and Oliver Queen just added onto her exhaustion. She'd told Lois she was adding a daycare center to the Daily Planet to make it easier for men and women to feel comfortable working there.

Tess was well aware that not everyone could afford multiple people to watch their children as she could, and as soon as she'd made the announcement, she'd received an immediately different reception from her employees, especially the women.

It was just after eight o'clock and she hadn't had anything to eat, but what mattered more was lying down on her couch during her son's nap. The fireplace was roaring and she just needed quiet.

"Five minutes, five minutes," she whispered to herself, collapsing on the couch as she tossed her stilettos to the side and threw the blanket over her head.

Immediately she heard a knock on the double doors.

"What?" she snapped, pulling the blanket down.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Ms. Mercer. Clark Kent is here to see you."

He was standing in the doorway and she was exhausted. She'd just wanted five minutes to herself. _**Fuck.**_

"I can come back," he offered as they were left alone by her security guard.

"No…no, it's alright," she complied, sitting up. "You're good practice. I need to learn that all that time I used to have to myself is a thing of the past. I need to become a 'people' person," she mocked and he laughed softly, sitting across from her. "What's on your mind?"

He hesitated. What he wanted to say, one didn't just blurt out. He didn't even know where to begin. And he might've wanted to catch Tess awake and happy.

"Well we're-so happy for you and Oliver. We love Daniel and we're so excited for this new baby, you know that."

Okay, that sounded dangerous. Had she done something wrong?

"But?"

"No, there's no but. It's just…I watch Lois. I watch her all the time with Daniel and from the first time she held him, Tess…she loves that baby. She loves him more than anything."

Tess nodded. "I know she does. He's lucky to have her."

Clark looked down and ran his hand over his face in slight aggravation. "She doesn't say it ever. But I know she looks at you, what you have, what I can't give her and she's so willing to not have it for the rest of her life. She's willing to just love your kids. I don't want that for her. I want more for her. I look at you, how beautiful you are," he said, reaching to touch her stomach, which slightly surprised her. "…and I want that life with her."

Tess was exhausted and she had to focus.

"Okay, of course you want children with her. She's your wife and the woman you love. But just because Oliver and I got pregnant so quickly doesn't mean that it's that easy for everyone. Have you been trying?"

Tess shook her head immediately. "Don't answer that, never mind. Obviously you're pretty sure there's something in the way."

"And it kills me, Tess," he said in a way that broke her heart.

He was moving her with his emotions. His need to have everything with Lois and the fact that he could envy something she had with Oliver made was humbling.

"Would you help me?" he asked her.

"Help you…have a baby with her?"

"You still have access to Lex's Kryptonian data. Maybe you can find something that could help me. You asked me once to have faith in you, because you believed. I learned that, maybe a little late but you know I know that now. I'm asking you to still believe in me. To help me. I want a baby with the woman I love. Please, _**please**_ help me."

She'd never seen him speak this profoundly. He took her hands and she felt them tremble as he struggled not to hurt her in his frantic hope.

She stiffened as his grip intensified.

"Yes," she said quickly. "Yes, okay," she said, pulling out of his grasp almost fearing he'd accidentally crack her bones.

"Really?" he asked, that innocence right back in his eyes again.

"Of course," she answered, never able to resist helping him.

He closed his eyes in relief. "Thank you. Just please don't tell her until you find something. I don't want to get her hopes up."

"I won't; I'll let you tell her," Tess agreed. Then she smiled. "You're still so human, Clark. You feel insignificant if you can't have a baby with her. I promise you, you're not. If I'd never had children with Oliver, I would've loved him just as much. I don't measure him by the number of children we have together."

That didn't seem to comfort him. She embraced him.

"It'll be okay; I promise."

At that moment, Oliver came gallivanting into the room, and immediately noticed Tess hugging Clark.

"I _**knew**_ it! The minute I look away, you go and leave me for a Kryptonian!" he teased.

Tess exhaled a laugh and pulled back from Clark, only to be pushed back against the couch and receive and devastating kiss from Oliver. Clark was slightly stunned by the visual and now felt the true definition of insignificance. Oliver let go of Tess as Clark stood up.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Clark said.

"No, Clark man, I'm sorry," Oliver replied, standing upright. "Stay for dinner, you're welcome to."

"No no, please, I have seen plenty, you two-have a great evening."

"Why do you have to embarrass him like that?" Tess asked Oliver, slightly amused.

"I forget how fragile the guy is, forgive me."

She collapsed back onto the couch and covered up. He caressed her cheek and though she was happy to see him, she really wanted him to take a hike so she could have her moment to herself.

"I love you and I'll be happy to see you in an hour, but I really need to decompress."

"Did you eat?"

"No, I have less than an hour before Daniel wakes up from his nap and I'm choosing to lie down."

She put her hand on his face and gently pushed. "So get outta here."

He laughed at her and stood up.

"You know, I miss you all day and the first thing you do when you see me is tell me to leave."

"I just want five minutes to myself!" she cried, making him laugh harder. She nearly reached for something to throw at him when she saw his amusement at her distress. "Fucking Christ, Oliver, half an hour and I'll be a human being."

"Really?" he mocked.

"If your life is worth anything to you you'll get out!"

He grinned, getting up to leave, but knew he'd count the minutes until she woke up. He'd long stopped trying to deny that he'd ever get her out of his system, and it was a lot more fun to enjoy having her near him than to push her away.

He crept into their son's room, watching him sleep. Oliver was exhausted after his own long day, but he felt replenished after looking at his child. He sat in the rocking chair and waited for his family to wake up.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	9. Undenied

We Belong to the Thunder – Undenied

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Undenied

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **R

XxX

Tess had given Clark blue kryptonite. She said it would deactivate his Kryptonian abilities while he was in close proximity to it and give him a chance to impregnate Lois. It was Tess's best guess at the moment to help him. She told him that it sometimes took even healthy couples years to get pregnant, so if his assumption was that one time was all it would take, he would need to be more patient. Clark pointed out Tess's experience, and she informed him that not only had she and Oliver slept together more than twice, but they were unusual.

Clark took the blue kryptonite, safely enclosed in a lead box and went home to Lois. He tucked the kryptonite safely in his drawer in the barn and went in search of his wife.

Lois was outside on the property, tears threatening to fall. She wasn't exactly sure why she was crying, but the tears were there, stinging her eyes. Thoughts of Daniel and a baby of her own that she was afraid she might never know penetrated her mind. She'd suppressed her emotions for so long that she was now seeking a way to keep them from exploding.

She had a cigarette in her hand and she was actually contemplating lighting it - anything to make the pain stop. She took the lighter and flicked it. Immediately it was ripped out of her hand and she was turned around.

"Don't," he said to her.

"I'm sorry," she said immediately, her apology uncharacteristic.

"What is it? Why would you do that?"

She shook her head. "Nothing," she said with a false smile. "Just a fit of rebellion."

He cupped her face. "Why wouldn't you just tell me what's wrong before resorting to doing something I know you hate? Don't you know I would do anything for you?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Tell me what's wrong," he pleaded.

She felt ridiculous for being envious of Tess when she was so happy for her. She didn't want to tell Clark, but she knew she should. She gave into the need to have complete honesty with her husband.

"I just…sometimes I see Tess and I get emotional, believe it or not. It's stupid."

Clark immediately gathered Lois up off the ground and into his arms.

"You're not stupid. But there's nothing to be jealous of with her. I want you, everything you are."

He flew her into the barn, super-speeding to the lead box with the blue kryptonite and opening faster than she could see, before landing back in front of her smoothly.

"I'm so glad you love me," she breathed in relief as he backed her up against the wood wall.

He slid his hands up her back, taking her shirt along with them as his lips descended onto hers.

"I've never felt like this with anyone else," he said, moving quickly from her lips to the soft skin of her cheek. "I need you," he whispered with question in his voice.

She pulled his shirt off, ripping the buttons in her frantic aggression, stunned that he thought he ever had to ask her. She latched her mouth onto his chest, peeling the shirt away to revealing his torso. He leaned into her kisses, slipping out of his shirt and throwing it to the side.

"Right here, Clark, please," she practically commanded, pulling at his jeans swiftly.

He slipped her bra off, his mouth tracing down her neck and making sweeps along her collar bone until he reached the arcs of her breasts. He cupped them, running his fingers gently over them, before drawing her nipple deep into his mouth as her hands twirled through his thick locks of hair. He knocked her back against the wood, eliciting heated gasps from her mouth as he pulled at her jeans. His mouth swept down her fluttering stomach as he rid her body of its remaining clothing.

He parted her legs and immediately enclosed his mouth over her, loving her taste. He loved the difference of what her cries sounded like when he didn't have his powers. Her cries were gentler to him, but they almost sounded closer. He wrapped her leg over his shoulder and then he drove his tongue farther inside her, making her wetter with every aggressive stroke.

He could feel her spiraling, her muscles contracting against his tongue as her juices tempted him to keep pushing her closer. He pulled back, his fingers sliding into her soothingly as she exhaled, and he looked at her flushed face as he rose and kissed her.

"I love you," she smiled against him, jerking a little when his fingers pushed into her.

"I love you too," he whispered, removing his fingers. "Right now," he said, almost a question.

She wrapped her arms around him. "All night," she replied passionately.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	10. Arms Wide Open

We Belong to the Thunder – Arms Wide Open

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Arms Wide Open

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG

XxX

He was so much more excited than she was. She lay on her back with her arm tucked behind her head, watching him with complete amusement.

"You are so cute."

"How can you not be excited?" he asked her.

"I'll be excited when I know," she told him. "I've been pregnant so long that it's practically a natural state for me now. It's not that I'm not excited."

The soft knock on the door interrupted her loving gaze at him. A doctor she didn't recognize came in the room.

"Hi there," she said warmly, extending her hand. "I'm filling in today for Doctor Mihalache. I'm Doctor Miller…Tess, Tess Mercer," she said, reading Tess's chart. She looked at Oliver and smiled, no flicker of recognition in her eyes. "Doctor Mihalache's out today but it's just for today, but don't worry, she'll be back to take care of you next time."

Tess sat up just slightly. "No problem. He's just anxious to see what the baby's gender is. And do me a favor and tell him it's a girl so we can stop having children."

"I didn't say we were going to stop having children," he said to her.

"Oh _**you **_didn't say _**we**_ were going stop having children?" she countered.

Doctor Miller smiled slightly and began rolling up Tess's shirt gently. "So about the gender," she said, defusing the developing argument. "How about the ultrasound," Doctor Miller commented her as she warmed up the gel before applying it to Tess's belly.

"I had morning sickness a lot more with this pregnancy, but I've had fewer headaches-which is a really great thing because now I don't have time for them."

"Are you still throwing up?" she asked, taking the wand and administering the ultrasound with it.

"No."

The images came up on the screen and all eyes turned to view the baby. The doctor focused immediately on checking for correct measurements, positions and placements, and Tess and Oliver inhaled slightly with the usual worry.

She looked at him. "The fear of the silence," she said softly.

"I'm sorry," the doctor apologized. "Everything looks fine so far; I didn't mean to be silent. The baby is still, so I'll be able to tell in a moment what it is. But I was just looking at the placenta and its position in the uterus, its heart - all of that first. So far it all looks perfect."

The doctor pointed to the image. "Come here, look closer."

They both leaned in, fascinated by how different this baby seemed to look even though it was just a jumbled image.

"And it looks like a girl to me," the doctor whispered happily to them.

Tess smiled with joy and relief, Oliver pulling her face to his and kissing her with excitement.

"Are you happy now?" she asked him, kissing his lips.

He pulled away abruptly and looked at the doctor. "Is she okay? Are they both okay?"

The doctor was still studying the image, smiling at their reaction as she did so. "Everything looks great so far."

"Are you sure it's a girl?" Tess asked. "It better be a girl."

"Well, there she is," the doctor said, pointing. Tess and Oliver leaned in. "That's your baby girl, sleeping happily."

Tess reached forward and touched the screen with her finger. "She's real," she whispered.

Oliver wondered why Tess hadn't seemed to have felt as connected to this baby as she had to Daniel. She'd been carrying this baby just as she had Daniel, and this time they were together. So why hadn't she felt that immediate connection? He had. He'd wanted this baby immediately.

But he also knew that she'd gotten everything she'd wanted in Daniel, so it wasn't about _**needing**_ another baby, it was about wanting one. And maybe now, she would.

"Can you see her?" Tess whispered to him, not looking away from the monitor.

Oliver smiled. "She's beautiful." He looked at the doctor. "Tess is okay, right?"

"Your wife's fine, Mr. Mercer."

Tess closed her eyes, smiling as she could practically hear Oliver's unspoken response. He unfailingly tilted her face to his and kissed her, as if still letting her know that she still belonged to him, despite the doctor's mistake. In his mind, though, he almost wasn't bothered by it. He just wanted her to marry him.

The doctor remained quiet as she continued studying the screen, but as Tess and Oliver continued to get distracted by each other she realized how Tess could have become pregnant a second time within six weeks. Luckily Tess remained still and allowed her to keep the wand in place on her belly while entwined with Oliver.

A half hour later, Doctor Miller gave Tess and her new baby girl a clean bill of health. Tess requested multiple copies of the sonogram photos and thanked the doctor gratefully.

Tess received four text messages from Lois so she didn't waste any time driving over to the Daily Planet to tell her the news.

Lois was hard at work at her computer when Tess sneaked up behind her.

"Hey!" she said into her ear, purposefully scaring the hell out of her.

Lois, too excited to get irritated, jumped out of her chair and turned around to see her friends. "Clark, get over here!" she shouted to her husband in the middle of a crowded office.

Clark came over with his cup of coffee and lit up at the sight of them.

"'K, he's here, so what happened?" Lois asked.

Tess pulled out the photo.

"This is for you, and it's a little girl."

Lois felt overwhelmed with joy. Tears came to her eyes and she nearly strangled Tess with her embrace.

"I'm going to have a heart attack!" she exclaimed. "This is the best news ever!"

"Well, don't kill her, she's pregnant," Clark advised with a smile.

Clark embraced Oliver. "Congratulations."

Lois pulled back and grabbed Oliver from Clark, hugging him tightly.

"Aren't you excited?"

"Yes!" he breathed. "Almost as excited as you."

Clark kissed Tess's forehead and embraced her. "We'll be there to take both the kids off your hands when you need a break," he promised.

She laughed. "You swear to that?"

"Hey, and just so everyone knows, I am now officially Mr. Mercer," Oliver announced, pulling back happily from Lois's embrace.

"Sorry?" Clark said.

"The doctor thought we were married, she saw my name on the chart, obviously didn't look at his name and called him Mr. Mercer. However, the baby's last name will be Mercer. No daughter of mine will have the last name of 'Queen'," Tess said defiantly.

"But our son does?" he questioned.

"If you can, he can. But I don't want my daughter sounding like a stripper. Her middle name can be Queen if that'll make you happy. But she gets a generic last name."

"So…when we get married, you're keeping your name?"

"I did," Lois pointed out.

"Yeah, but you're different," Oliver said.

"How am I different?" Lois questioned.

"Yeah, explain different," Tess agreed.

"You are so about to be Mr. Mercer for real," Clark teased.

"Thanks for saying that like it'd be an insult," Tess replied to Clark. "Never mind, I never said I was marrying you, but I will protect my daughter from a life of insults."

Oliver looked at Clark. "You know the feeling in your gut you get when you've picked a woman who is completely determined to call the shots?"

"Yes, eternally."

"Shut up, the both you," Lois muttered, shutting off her computer and grabbing Tess's arm. "Let's blow off the rest of the work day and go gush over the baby!"

Tess exhaled a laugh. "Yeah, no hesitation with saying that to the boss."

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	11. Truth Be Told

We Belong to the Thunder – Truth Be Told

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title:**Truth Be Told

**Series:**We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre:**Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating:**R

XxX

Lois ran up the stairs of Tess's impeccable house searching for her friend. She had butterflies in her stomach – not of nervousness, but of sheer joy. She found Tess on the phone in the new baby's nursery, cutting open a tightly packaged box. Lois rushed into her arms as soon as she put down the phone.

Tess moaned in surprise. "I have a blade in my hand!" she exclaimed.

Lois pulled back, nearly in tears.

"What? What is it?" Tess asked with concern.

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry," Lois said, touching Tess's belly.

"No, but you nearly killed yourself," Tess replied dryly, placing the knife on the box. "Are you drunk at four in the afternoon?"

"No, _**listen**_," Lois pressed with a smile.

Tess took Lois's hand.

"Come on," she said maternally, taking her out into the hallway to the open lounge. "You need a drink."

"Okay, but I need to tell you something and I need you not to think I'm trying to steal your thunder," Lois said after her as they walked.

"Meaning?" Tess said asked as she reached the mini-bar.

"If you'd face me and focus, I'd tell you."

Tess turned around, her eyes wide and overpowering, but never fazing Lois. She focused on Lois, unaware that she'd appeared uninterested.

Lois smiled, her beautiful mouth glowing as much as the rest of her. "I'm pregnant," she whispered, almost as if she said it too loud it would be untrue.

Tess's eyes showed immediate distress. Lois placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"No, I know. I know you're pregnant, and I know I'm so loud and crazy but I want you to be happy for me. We could do this together, right?" Lois asked hopefully.

The more she spoke, the more Tess realized Lois hadn't been told anything. Tess nodded, the knots in her stomach twisting.

"Of course you're my friend and I don't need any spotlight on me because I'm pregnant. I'm so happy for you," Tess smiled, wrapping her arms around Lois, attempting to project as much joy over her as possible.

Lois frowned a little, hugging her back, able to feel Tess's offset energy.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked her.

"I'm perfect," she replied, pulling back and stroking Lois's long hair. "How are you feeling? And how far along are you?"

"About three weeks."

"We're going to have to go shopping," Tess exclaimed. "Do you want a Silver Cross Balmoral Pram?" Tess teased with a smile.

Lois saw right through her.

"I appreciate the pregnancy talk but could you just tell me why you're not _**really**_ jumping for joy? I'm a big girl, I can take it."

Tess contemplated going to Clark first, giving him the chance to tell Lois himself. Tess was frustrated that he'd gone ahead and done this without telling Lois about the blue kryptonite, placing all of them in this position, and she didn't want to leave Lois in the dark. They had both been left in the dark for years, even by each other.

"Tess," Lois said again, pushing her gently for answers.

Tess felt backed into a corner. Lois Lane was the unrelenting reporter who was never fooled and never gave up when she wanted an answer. She deserved to know.

"Clark wanted to have a baby with you," Tess said carefully. "He asked for help. He begged for help. I looked for a way and he told me he'd discuss it with you, he promised me. So I gave him blue kryptonite to take away his abilities temporarily. I think that's why you're pregnant."

Lois hated how quickly she understood, but processing it wasn't as easy. "You mean he told you first? He confided in you about having a child with me?"

Tess shook her head. "It's because I have access to Kryptonian technology-"

"Oh, don't tempt me to use the green kind of kryptonite on his ass!" Lois snapped.

"What are we screaming about? On whose ass?" Oliver asked, coming into the room with Clark just behind him.

"You two conspired about my life like that?" Lois questioned angrily. "And you never thought to tell me? Like it isn't enough that you were both inside my head, willing to delete memories I will probably never have access to again! Back away from me, Clark," Lois demanded.

"What did you say?" Clark asked Tess.

"What did _**I**_ say?" Tess shot back. "You come to me for help, you pour the big puppy eyes on me and you tell me you'll confide in your wife about the most personal thing she will ever experience and then you don't? I don't ever want you to come to me for help again. You just made me feel as used as Lex did."

Oliver put his hands up. "Everyone, stop. What the hell is going on?"

"The fact that you don't know is the only reason I'm not screaming my lungs off," Lois said to him.

Daniel started to cry on the monitor.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll have to resume being yelled at in a few minutes," Tess said to Lois.

Lois watched Tess leave until Clark turned Lois so she was facing him.

"Look at me, _**listen**_. Yes, I went to Tess for help, but it was only because I wanted us to have a baby. She was the one who could help us. And she did and now we _**are**_ going to have a baby."

"Your solution was to go outside of our marriage to ask someone else how to get me pregnant?"

"You're pregnant?" Oliver asked.

"Not right now," she said to him. Clark started to talk but she cut him off. "You know what I realize, Smallville? You do what you always do. You leave me out of the decisions, you leave me out of knowing the truth, and I completely screwed up and blamed the wrong person. So I'm going to go apologize to her because right now I can't stand the sight of you."

Lois walked off and Clark started after her but Oliver grabbed his arm.

"Let her go, man." He waited until Lois was out of sight before asking, "Okay, so what'd you do exactly?"

XxX

Tess rocked her son back and forth in her arms, humming a song to him with her lips against his soft head, calming him when Lois appeared in the doorway. She waited as Tess seemed to replenish herself by holding her baby in her arms. The negative thoughts Lois felt creeping up on her regarding her new pregnancy were pushed away when she saw Daniel, and when she remembered how scared Tess had been when she'd first been pregnant.

Tess dragged her lips softly over her son's baby skin, settling them on his forehead for a gentle kiss. She rose off the rocking chair and walked him back to his crib.

"Let me put him down before you give me hell," Tess said resignedly.

Lois grabbed Daniel's favorite blanket off the rocking chair and handed it to Tess. Tess wondered if Lois would keep up the pretenses of a friendship with her just so she could be around her son.

"Thank you," she said, taking the blanket.

Lois looked down at Daniel and smiled at him, caressing his tiny foot.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Lois asked Tess. "Why does he tell you?"

"Maybe it's a guy thing," she replied. "Maybe he doesn't want you to ever think there's something he couldn't provide you. So if he went out and found a solution to make you happy and you know, in a man's head, everything's fine."

"Yeah," Lois laughed sarcastically. "Complete solution."

"I'm sorry," Tess said softly. "I never would've done anything without you knowing. I assumed he would've told you, and I thought it was his place to. I thought I was helping, and if it means anything, I am very happy for you both. I don't want to be any cause of anything but happiness for you."

"Well, you _**did**_ tell me. And I'm glad somebody did."

"It's still great news, Lois. You're still going to have a baby with the man you love. It was my mistake, not yours. I've made a lot of mistakes by holding grudges. It's not worth it."

Oliver knocked on the wall since the door was open.

"Can we come in?" he asked softly.

Tess looked at Lois.

"Just be quiet, we're trying to put Daniel down," Lois said softly.

Oliver came in, followed by Clark.

"You okay?" he asked Tess.

"I've been through much worse," Tess mused.

Clark looked at Lois, his eyes pleading for forgiveness, forgiveness she wasn't ready to give.

"Why don't you two take a few minutes?" Oliver suggested. "Pick a room, talk, let us know if you need anything."

Lois looked up at her husband and led him out of the nursery.

XxX

"Lois, Lois-don't undo the greatest moment of our lives!"

She turned around, her head hurting from frustration. "I didn't do or undo anything! It seems as usual, you have all the power and you make all the choices."

"Why can't you believe that I was trying to give you everything that you could ever want? Do you think I was trying to hurt you?"

"Do I think your motive was to go behind my back? No, I don't. You're not the bad guy in the movie, Clark, but you still manage to break hearts. You can't confide in another woman about me having kids. You just can't. So please do me a favor. Go. Go home and leave me to deal with it for awhile."

"Where are you going to be?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll be fine."

Clark felt his heart sink. "I'd rather stay and fight for you."

"If you fight for me right now, you might lose. Give me some time."

Clark saw Oliver in the distance and Oliver nodded, signaling he'd watch out for Lois. Clark reluctantly left, hating that he couldn't touch her before he did so.

Lois held back her tears as the cool night air surrounded her. She heard Oliver come up behind her. He hugged her from behind and she leaned back against him.

"Congratulations," he said to her softly, hoping to give her some support.

"Thanks," she whispered, trying not to cry. "I'm sorry I yelled at her. I think I should go."

"I don't want you staying in a hotel somewhere. Stay here. Stay at the pool house. I know you'll make up with Clark but just for the time being, stay with us."

"You're not upset at all?" Lois asked him, still not needing to face him.

He kissed the top of her head. "No, Lois. 'Course I understand why you are, but in the scheme of things, Tess is always trying to gain acceptance and even with her tough girl act, she needs approval so much more than you. She can make a lot of stupid decisions without thinking them through. And Clark-talk about the king of not thinking things through. But there was no malice in either of them."

Lois was exhausted. She didn't want to be around anyone anymore today. She'd go to the pool house as Oliver had offered and possibly never come out.

"'Night, Ollie. Thanks for putting me up."

She pulled free but he didn't let go of her hand.

"Hey, sleep on it and then realize the guy was trying to give you the world. I know Tess is a woman but that doesn't make it some kind of personal betrayal. It makes it thoughtless and insensitive. But it's forgivable. This is your first pregnancy with your husband. Don't waste time with anger."

She nodded, making him believe she was actually listening to him, and then she disappeared into the dark.

Oliver went upstairs and snuck into his own bedroom where he saw Tess's long red hair spread against the pillow. He was quiet so as not to wake her as he began to undress.

"It's a good thing this is my house, or else you might kick me out of it," he heard her say softly.

He stripped down to his boxers, climbing into bed beside her. She faced away from him, completely ashamed. Oliver crept closer to her, brushing her locks of hair away from her face.

"Hey, I didn't know you were up."

"Is she okay?"

"She'll be okay. She's in the pool house for the night."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered brokenly.

"Hey," he replied, caressing her face. "Hey, come here," he said, turning her over to see tears in her eyes. "There are a lot of unhappy people here tonight, this is purely unacceptable."

He kissed her face while his fingers stroked her jawline. She swallowed hard, trying to suppress the feelings of fear that had been building up since she'd learned of Lois's pregnancy.

"Clark's just a dumb Kryptonian sometimes," he said, making her laugh. "He _**is**_."

"What if I lose their friendship?"

"You're not gonna lose anything, I promise. I'll take care of it."

She searched his eyes. "Aren't you going to ask me how stupid I could be? Or why I didn't tell you?"

"You said Clark told you not to."

"And you don't need me to say anything else? I could've destroyed them. I-"

He covered her mouth with his fingers. "You didn't create this situation. You rarely _**create**_ the situation no matter how much credit you'd like to give yourself. You didn't get her pregnant and you didn't seek him out. So let it go, because you're pregnant too. And right now you have me, you have our son, and Lois is staying with us so she can't be that angry at you."

She smiled. Through the years she'd done her share of swearing at him and throwing the sharpest objects she could find at him but he was also the one who could calm her down, take the fear and pain away from her body and make her so relieved. She ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the weight lifting off her chest.

"When I was pregnant with Daniel and you were totally driving me crazy, I sometimes thought if I just gave in, I'd be settling for nothing but fighting and angry sex for the rest of my life."

His eyebrows rose, contemplating that idea in a way that made her smile.

"I'm _**serious**_. I never thought you'd actually stand by me again the way you used to."

"All I needed you to do was give in. And I need you to do that one more time."

She shook her head, not in the mood for the marriage discussion. "Not tonight. I promise to talk to you about it but not in the middle of this." She leaned up and kissed his mouth. "Just kiss me for a minute."

He cupped her face, knowing she had always overwhelmed his mind, completely mesmerizing him. He kissed her with a little more force as he pushed her back, caressing her lips until he felt her shiver. He held onto her body as he slid her sleeve off her shoulder, tearing his mouth from hers to saturate her bare skin with his tongue.

"Mercy," he whispered, peeling down her nightgown and enclosing his mouth over her nipple.

She arched her head back and allowed him to keep her up all night.

XxX

Lois's alarm hadn't gone off when she awoke to the smell of maple donuts. She pried her eyes open and reached for her phone, stunned that it was after nine on a work day. She threw her covers off and fussed to get her clothes on after an amazingly fast shower, all the while not forgetting to take a bite of the maple donuts. She wondered who had sneaked them into her room while she was asleep.

In less than ten minutes she dashed out the door only to see a beautiful breakfast on the outside patio set up for her as well as Tess sitting and waiting for her.

"Good morning."

"What are you doing? We're late."

"You really want to go in and see Clark first thing in the morning?" Tess asked, pouring Lois some milk. "I don't. I had Oliver call him. You can see him later. Have some breakfast. If you can't stand my company then by all means, go, but you need to eat."

Lois felt so much like wiping the last year from her mind and going back to completely disregarding her friendship with this woman. Wouldn't it be easier to blame her so that she wouldn't have to blame Clark? Clark couldn't be the bad guy in the situation. It would be so much simpler to just make Tess the villain.

"I'm going to go ahead and act like your friend if you keep standing there. Sit down and eat or tell me how much you hate me. Don't stand there mute."

Lois sat in the chair reluctantly.

"You really think you're so perfect and authoritative. You give a demand and we all just bow down to it," Lois said, taking a piece of pancake from her plate.

Tess smiled, unfazed. "There's a stack of books next to you that I used for my first pregnancy. Your baby's half Kryptonian, so I'll give you whatever research I have about that, regardless if you'll be speaking to me tomorrow or at the end of the week. But I want you to be. I think you're like me, Lois, and that might be why we clash."

Lois drank the milk, hearing her every word but not responding yet. Tess grinned a little, not intimated by Lois's attempt to make her feel uneasy.

"Get out of here," Tess told her. "Go see him."

Lois stood slowly and looked at one of the few women she felt was truly her equal.

"You know if you ever worried that you wouldn't be someone who should be a mother, you're wrong. You're a great mother. Makes me feel like I could do it too."

Tess's eyes widened in surprise as Lois smiled slightly. "Wish me luck, whatever the hell happens."

XxX

Clark wasn't at the farm so she drove to the condo in Metropolis they'd just purchased. Lois had convinced Clark not to let go of the farm, but now they'd have to decide where they'd raise the baby. She unlocked the door and stepped into the condo. She could smell liquor and was puzzled that he would've turned to alcohol for comfort.

She quietly made her way to the first bedroom and pushed the door open, seeing him sitting on the floor with a drink in his hand. She looked around the room, seeing a partially constructed crib put together.

"Clark," she breathed, viewing a few select baby things around the room.

He got up quickly, looking exhausted and worn out - another thing that surprised her.

"I didn't expect you here, or to be back this soon. It was just something I did to pass the time. I can return it all. You can choose everything for the baby; I promise."

Why wasn't the crib finished? Why didn't he use his powers to finish it all in an instant? His pain was killing her and she wanted to hold him. How could she be so angry when his guilt was all she could feel in the air between them?

"It's okay," she assured, wanting to relieve him of at least that much. "Did you…use the blue kryptonite last night? Are you drunk?"

He smiled, looking at his drink. "No, I just drank anyway, hoping somehow it would affect me. I'm sorry."

He put the drink down, distressed at its ineffectiveness. "Where were you?"

"I stayed at Tess's."

He nodded, hoping that was a good sign. "Oh."

She inhaled, scaring the hell out of him as she started to speak. He cut her off.

"Don't, don't Lois. If you're going to leave me or tell me how much you'd wish I hadn't done this when it's our baby, I can't take it yet. I'll do whatever you want, but I can't do it yet. Because in some horrible way, even if you're wishing I'd never done this, three days ago you told me you were pregnant, and I was never happier."

She wanted to reply but he really wouldn't let her.

"Please don't. Let me live in a world where I can pretend it's still three days ago. Go where you need to go. I need time too. Just know that I am so sorry," he whispered.

She reached for his hand and pulled him down so she could touch her lips to his face.

"I know," she said. "I know."

She used her free hand and undid the buttons to her own blouse, bringing his hand to her chest as her mouth lingered against his face.

"I know you're sorry. But I don't want you to do anything other than put your hand on my stomach, on my skin and tell me that it's my baby that you want."

"You know that," he said, backing her up against the bare wall. He kissed her softly, exploring her mouth as he undid the buttons of her blouse off and smelled the foreign soap on her skin.

"Tell me anyway," she murmured, opening his mouth with hers, unzipping his pants and pulling him closer.

"I wanted the baby to be ours-and I was willing to do anything for you to have my child," he breathed jaggedly.

He removed her jeans, using one finger to slip her underwear down her thighs, never breaking the kiss. He slipped his hand beneath her thigh, raising it up to brush her body against his as his tongue delved into her mouth.

She cried out as his tongue caressed her lower lip and her head began to fall back, sliding against the wall. She felt him gently push into her, but then he was rougher, harder, and desperate. He pounded into her, his hands cupping her head as his mouth fiercely caressed hers. She hadn't even pulled his shirt off all the way and she urgently clung to him, her spine tingling as she felt her orgasm rising up, carrying with it all the painful emotions of the past several hours.

She felt the powerlessness of her baby's conception, the absent knowledge of how it happened, the joy she felt mistaken for having, and the anger towards the passionate man inside of her.

When she came, those emotions washed out of her in a screaming tide of anguish.

Clark felt it too, his climax nearly crushing her. He collapsed on top of her and she held him close, feeling his heart pound against hers.

He lifted his head up kissed her. "Don't leave me," he pleaded.

She remembered the conversation they'd discussed of never forcing the other to stay, never manipulating each other. But still, they were the loves of each other lives. This was a betrayal to her, but she'd like to think she was capable of any forgiveness - even the confidence of another woman's friendship about something that should've belonged to her.

Lois looked at Clark loving her, needing her. She saw how good he was and she needed to believe that she could be that for him. That's what everyone tried to do for Clark. Oliver, Tess, Lana, Lex, everyone. But at the end of the day, Clark came home to her. Clark _**chose**_ her. And she loved him.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	12. Valeur

We Belong to the Thunder – Valeur

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **Valeur

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

XxX

Lois mentally kicked her own ass for feeling tired after 22 hours of Tess's labor. At first it had been going smoothly, a well paced labor with an epidural, but as time went on things slowed down, the struggles increased, and Tess's epidural surprisingly began to wear off. Lois half expected the doctor to rush off to the next patient or to get tired of the process, solving the situation with a C-Section.

But not Tess's doctor.

Her doctor stayed, giving Tess her undivided attention and care. It made Lois all the more determined to forget about any caffeine cravings she was having and to give Tess anything she needed.

Oliver was right at her side, not seeming tired at all, but almost feeling every painful cry Tess attempted not to make.

"Can you give you give her something more for the pain?" Lois asked the doctor nervously.

Oliver looked at Lois with Tess in his arms. Tess was too tired to really pay attention.

"It's exhaustion more than pain that she's experiencing at this point, Lois. I'll get her through it. I've had three myself; I'm not immune to how hard this is. I know."

"I need a break," Tess whispered. "My legs hurt."

Lois came forward. "Do you want me to massage them for you?"

"I wanna go to sleep," she replied.

Lois exercised Tess's legs lightly a few times, moving them back and forth before placing them back in the stirrups with the velvet covers she'd gotten especially for Tess.

Tess looked up at Oliver. "I still feel the contractions," she cried softly, exhausted.

"'Okay, Tess," the doctor said to her. "I know you're tired, but I need you to listen: there's a problem."

Tess looked at the doctor's beautiful brown eyes immediately.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "What's wrong with her?"

"She facing up and I need to turn her, but it's going to hurt." The doctor's eyes filled with empathy. "I know it's hard to hear this but you need to relax. Just relax, hold Oliver's hand and I'll be as gentle as I can…I'm sorry."

"I'm right here," Oliver said as she grabbed his hand, trying both to relax and brace herself.

"You ready?" the doctor asked.

_What the hell kind of question was that?_ She nodded, terrified for her baby. The pain tore through her body immediately and she grabbed a fistful of Oliver's shirt, screaming into it with more energy than she thought she had at the moment. Lois winced as the tears streamed down Tess's face. Oliver gathered her closer.

"Please-please stop!" she begged the doctor.

"It's okay, it's okay, I got her. She's okay. We don't have to do it again."

Oliver wiped Tess's tears with his fingers and slid a hand beneath her head, holding it gently.

"I love you so much," he told her. "And I don't even mind if you don't love me back for a very long time."

"Is she okay?" Tess asked Oliver urgently.

"She's fine," the doctor replied comfortingly. "I'm sorry that hurt."

Oliver caressed Tess's hair with his fingers, kissing her forehead as she tried to breathe regularly. She held onto his shirt, needing him near her as she felt angry that she had to endure any of this.

"Lois, why don't you leave?" Tess breathed, lying against Oliver's chest. "You're pregnant, I don't want you to see all of this and make you have nightmares. It's not always this bad."

Lois frowned slightly, thrown by the statement.

"You think I'd leave you?"

"The first time wasn't like this. You can go if you want. It's okay."

Lois took Tess's hand.

"Hey, I may be a little rough around the edges but I'm not a coward and I'm here until you're holding that little girl."

Tess opened her eyes and looked at Lois, reaching for her.

"You won't leave me, will you?" Lois asked.

"No, but I might still be here by the time you go into labor."

"Okay, no one's leaving," Oliver announced. He dipped his forehead to Tess's. "No leaving you, Mercy."

"Tell me my baby's okay," Tess pleaded to the doctor.

"Tess, she's okay, and I'd tell you if you were going to be here another five to ten hours but I'm telling you that you're almost done. And I know you're tired but I can get you through this, I can get you _**both**_ through this. _**Look**_ at me," she said and Tess did. "She's crowning. She's crowning and I know you're tired but I need you to push."

Tess shook her head. "I can't."

"Do you love your son?"

"'Course I do."

"You're going to love your daughter just as much, I promise. I want you to see her but I need your help. I need to you breathe out, to lean forward and to push."

Lois wiped Tess's forehead with a washcloth and grabbed her hand. "Show me this is possible," she whispered supportively.

Oliver pulled Tess forward gently and the gravity seemed to help. Tess thankfully felt the baby slipping out of her without much difficulty.

"I've got her," the doctor said. "Lie back. I've got her."

"Tell me she's okay," Tess said, not sure if it was tears or sweat on her face as Oliver lied her down.

"She's fine, everything's fine," the doctor said joyfully.

The nurses took the baby while the doctor immediately tended to Tess. Tess shivered in exhaustion as she asked Lois to watch her daughter. Oliver looked down at her, his eyes washing over her with love.

"I'm tired," she breathed simply with a small smile.

"I know you are," he replied, his fingers caressing her face. "Are you too tired? Do you still want to see her?"

Her eyes pleaded as she nodded. He thought she'd cry.

"I'll bring her right to you, I promise. Then I'll let you sleep for days. I'll take care of you," he said, kissing her gently.

He leaned down and kissed her face. Though it slightly irritated her with the IV in her wrist, she reached an arm up around him, terrified she couldn't have done this without him.

"Where is she?" she whispered in his ear.

He pulled back slightly and looked, being Tess's eyes. The nurse was carrying her over as Lois walked to the other side of Tess.

"She's perfect except for a little mark on her back from the delivery process. She may have a tiny birth mark from it, but she's fine."

Tess immediately sat up, a newfound energy in her at the thought of having hurt her baby.

"She's bleeding? I cut her on the way out?" she asked, opening her arms for her daughter.

The nurse edged the baby girl into Tess's arms, showing her where the little strawberry on her shoulder was. Tess rocked her daughter and felt instant guilt.

"It's alright," Oliver assured her. "Is Tess okay?" he asked the doctor.

"Tess is fine. And many babies are born with birth marks. They heal."

"But I hurt her," Tess said, rocking her close. "I'm sorry," she whispered to her daughter, peeling the blanket down a little bit to talk more intimately with the newborn baby. "I waited for you," she told her daughter. "I'm your mother and I'm sorry it was so hard to get you here. I was so scared when I found out I was going to have you but I'm never going to let anyone hurt you. For the rest of my life I will always be there to protect you."

She looked at Oliver and smiled. She handed her daughter over to him and laid her between them.

"Your dad wanted you so much. He loves you and you're named after his mother - Laura."

Oliver gathered his daughter into his arms and Tess leaned back, exhausted. She slipped her hand into Lois's.

"It's all worth it, I promise," she told her.

"Are you okay?" the doctor asked. "How do you feel?"

"Why?" Oliver asked, looking up from his daughter. "Is something wrong?"

"Oliver," Tess said. "I'm just tired," she answered.

"Well you're fine," the doctor said, finishing up. "And as long a process as it was, you did beautifully. She's perfect. I'll come back and check on you both in a little while. The nurses will be here for you if you need anything."

The doctor took Tess's legs out of the stirrups and laid them on the bed, covering her up. Tess felt herself slipping into sleep. She nodded to the doctor, thanking her.

"Lois, take the baby, show her to Clark," Oliver said.

Lois came over to him. "Are you sure?" she asked, opening her arms to Laura.

Oliver wanted to take care of Tess before she fell asleep completely.

"Yes," he said, and when Laura was in her arms, he kissed Lois's forehead.

Lois was surprised they could both part with Laura that soon, but she did as she was told, preparing not to stay away for very long. Oliver went back to the bed, leaning down to the tired redhead.

"Is it okay if I close my eyes?" she asked softly.

"I want you to close your eyes, baby. I want you to sleep for as long as you need. I'll be right here when you wake up. Just sleep," he said softly, placing kisses on her eyes.

"Everything's okay, right? She's fine?"

"Everything's fine, I promise."

He placed a few more kisses on her face, urging her to relax, not letting go of her until he felt the tension leave her body and he was sure she was asleep. He watched her sleep, so determined to keep her safe and make sure she could feel him nearby.

XxX

Lois carried the tiny baby in her arms and found Clark sitting in a chair with his fists clenched. Instantly she could see how tense he was.

"Clark," she whispered happily.

He nearly jumped but when he saw her with the baby, he got up and rushed over.

"Hey, how's everything?" he asked, looking down at Laura.

"Take her, hold her," Lois smiled.

Clark gathered the baby into his arms. "Is Tess okay? Come here, little girl," he whispered.

"Scared the crap out of me. She was in so much pain. Did you hear her scream?"

"Did _**I**_ hear her scream? Are you kidding? Her scream is still ringing in my ears, it was awful. What happened?" he asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Would you stop acting like I'm too immature to handle the birthing process? It's bad enough I'm stuck out here twice while the three of you are in there for hours."

"Clark, shut up and enjoy the baby. You'll get to be there when I give birth. You'll get the experience, trust me."

Clark looked down at the pink baby. Her tired eyes opened, looking up at him.

"Her eyes are opening," he said softly.

"Oh my God, what color are they?" Lois asked, coming to his side to look.

Laura's eyes didn't open very far and Lois and Clark peered into them, searching for the color of the iris.

"Oliver wants her to look like Tess, so if she has anything other than green eyes, he's gonna be really unhappy," Lois said. "You have super-sight, figure it out."

"Yes, oh persistent one," he replied. "I don't know, they're pretty light right now. They could turn any color."

"You are no help," she said.

"Well I can't foresee the future!"

"Why not?"

He sighed, irritated, and she laughed.

"You'll be beautiful no matter what, Laura," Clark said to her. "And we're not your parents, just in case you were wondering. Your mom's tired, but we're your aunt and uncle and we love you very much."

"I think we can go back in now; she should be close to Tess," Lois said, her head resting on his arm.

Fifteen minutes later they all sat surrounding a slumbering Tess, watching Oliver hold his daughter.

"Why don't you guys go home?" he said, tearing his eyes from his beautiful daughter. "It's going to be a long night and there's nothing more you can do."

"We can help you," Lois insisted. "And Tess can know we stayed."

"Tess can know you checked on Daniel," Oliver told her. "And she'd feel better if you came back when she'd had a shower and something to eat. And I know you'd like to do the same. You both stayed for over twenty hours. Go get some sleep. Trust me; in a few months, you'll never know the meaning of that word again."

XxX

He rolled over on the bed beside hers, consciousness threatening his deep sleep. He opened his eyes, blinking them a few times, instinctively looking for his new daughter.

"She's right here," he heard Tess say comfortingly.

He looked up to see Tess sitting up in bed, showered, dressed, and completely made over, finishing up with lip gloss.

"What are you doing?" he asked with borderline shock in his voice.

"Lois and Clark are bringing Daniel over soon and she insists on taking photos. So I figured I'd get up and ready."

Oliver was awake now. "Tell Lois to wait. You just gave birth."

Tess put her lip gloss down and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that is typically when you take photos of the new baby."

Oliver got up. "Well fine, but she doesn't have to make you do any work. You didn't do this last time."

"I did too. It just didn't seem like such a big deal because it was so much easier. But I'm fine. I was just about to wake you anyway in case you want to change out of yesterday's clothes."

"What? I'm not good looking enough like this?"

"You are the most _**beautiful**_ thing ever," she replied obediently with a smile. Tess reached a hand out to him. "Come here," she said, and he kissed her slowly on the lips. "I'm sorry, she just stresses me out. Let's just actually adore our daughter and the time when it's the three of us."

"I was waiting for that reason," Oliver smiled, receiving a glare from her.

"I have no reason," she mused, gathering her daughter up. "I just wanna watch her grow," Tess whispered, touching her daughter's face lightly with her index finger. "And even when we fight, knowing that afterwards…the forgiveness will always be there because she knew I was always there for her."

Oliver kissed his daughter's head, the tiny auburn curls making him smile.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"I held her for hours while you slept," he replied, admiring his little girl. "It's amazing to love someone so much that you just met."

Tess lay back against the propped up pillows and held her daughter with Oliver beside her. They stayed there, just watching Laura's wandering eyes until the hospital phone went off, a when Lois informed them she was close.

XxX

Oliver rocked Laura as Tess organized the baby bag before hearing Lois's unmistakable baby voice and she smiled, having missed her son even in the short time they'd been separated. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lois carrying him into the room.

"There's Mommy," Lois murmured, kissing the ten and a half month old on the cheek. His tiny hands reached for his mother even as he smiled, receiving Lois's kisses.

"Come here, baby," Tess said, reaching for him.

He seemed so heavy to her after holding Laura, but she took him blissfully and pulled him close. He was active and curious, but still attached to his mother.

"Hey," she said to him, trying to get him to focus as he curiously looked around the room. "Hey you," she said softly into his ear. "I missed you…yeah, you see Daddy holding a new baby? Who's that he's got?" Tess said playfully, looking at Oliver. "Nothing's ever going to take your place in Mommy's heart, but I've got someone for you to protect now. She's a part of you and she's yours to love."

As Oliver lowered Laura for Daniel to see, Tess looked up at Lois and Clark and mouthed 'thank you' to them. As soon as she returned her focus to her family, Lois began taking photos.

"I love that Clark-" Lois said, snapping photos, "-said to dress down because you'd just delivered a baby, even though I'm almost five months pregnant myself…and you look like _**that**_. I don't know why I listen to him."

"You listen?" Clark asked. "Where was I? I would've used the camera."

Clark took the camera from Lois and ushered her towards Tess. Oliver picked up his son and Tess lost herself in the feeling of being covered in her children. She couldn't wait for Lois's baby to be born. She didn't care anymore about the power and though she was still afraid of the pain, the air in her lungs that she now used to laugh…_**that**_ was real victory.

~~~~To Be Continued~~~~

**Notes:** I'm sure it's pretty evident, but good lord I love writing these four together. They are just precious!


	13. One Breath

We Belong to the Thunder – One Breath

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **One Breath

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

XxX

"I feel like I should be in more pain," Lois commented as Tess sat in a chair beside her bed. "I feel guilty for not being in extreme agony but instead I'm kinda craving pizza."

Tess exhaled a laugh. "Why would I want you in pain? I'm glad you're not."

"But you were. If this goes easily for me, I'll feel horrible."

"It's not a competition. I don't want you in pain. I just want to be here and with the loved ones you have, I'm amazed you chose me."

Lois rolled her eyes and looked at Clark briefly. "Would you stop already?" she said, looking back at Tess. "We've been through this a hundred times. It's a done deal. I love my cousin and my sister but they don't know anything about giving birth and they haven't been here like you have."

She widened her eyes at Clark as if for him to chime in and agree. He shook his head. "No, you're on your own. You two are the scariest women ever so I'm not risking either one of you getting mad at me."

Lois sighed. "I've been here for two hours already and I'm bored. I can't even text."

Clark grinned at her. "I'm sorry we're so boring. I take it a book won't suffice?"

"I brought plenty of entertainment," Tess replied, reaching for her bag, ready to supply Lois with distraction.

The next hour went smoothly, free of pain though the frequency of her contractions increased to every six minutes. Lois felt the pressure growing and the weight of the labor slowly bearing down on her when an anxious knock on the door interrupted her heavy breathing.

"Yeah?" she called out.

Chloe opened the door.

"Hey!" she called out.

"Chloe!" Lois said, opening her arms instantly. "Oh my God, where have you been?"

Chloe rushed over and Tess moved out of the way immediately, watching the cousins embrace.

"I did the best I could. You should've seen what I did to get here. You're two days early," she said into Lois's hair.

"Sit down; sit with me, please."

Clark reached across and took Chloe's hand, smiling at her warmly. Tess quietly exited the room. When she opened the door, Martha Kent stood up, greeting her.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. Lois is still a little ways away," Tess replied. "I'm just giving them some time."

Martha nodded. "Do you want some coffee? Something to eat?"

Tess was dying for some coffee.

"Shall we walk to get it?" she smiled to Martha.

XxX

Chloe stroked Lois's hair. "You don't even look like you're in that much pain."

"I'm not," Lois confessed. "Is that bad? The doctor gave me great drugs."

"I wouldn't say that really loudly," Clark mused.

"Clark, you don't have to do it; let her say what she wants," Chloe scolded lightly. She looked back at Lois. "So I talked to the General and to Lucy. Lucy's stuck in Belgium of all places, but she'll be here as soon as possible. And the General too."

"You're here," Lois smiled. "You're all here," she said, reaching for Clark's hand. He leaned forward and kissed her.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Me too," she said, her breathing intensifying with another contraction.

She took Clark's hand and held it - not tightly or in pain - but rather to savor the experience.

"We're going to have our son," she told him through shallow breaths.

XxX

The doctor began to more closely monitor Lois as Clark and Chloe stayed by her side. Martha and Tess waited outside, sipping bad coffee together when Oliver proceeded down the hallway towards them in a huff. They both saw him out of the corner of their eyes as he approached them.

"Okay, whose idea was it for us to have kids so close together?" he exclaimed petulantly.

They both laughed, and Tess reached out as she tried to convey her sympathy through her smile.

"Are they driving you crazy?" she teased, kissing him.

"You can never get them both to do anything, like let you leave the room!"

"Yes, well now that you've left them, let's go wish Lois the best because it's not going to be that long before she has a baby that never lets her leave his sight."

Tess guided him to the doorway and looked back at Martha, signaling that they should all go inside.

"Lois?"

"Oliver," she said, her face lighting up.

"We're all coming in to tell you we'll be pacing outside," he said, coming over to hug her. "You know it's gonna be great," he assured her. "I love you."

She squeezed her arms around him. "I love you too. Don't go too far."

Martha hugged Chloe closely and then proceeded to step up where Oliver had been. Lois lay back against her pillow, looking up at her mother-in-law.

"I'll be outside waiting for you," she soothed, caressing Lois's cheek. "I've never been happier about anything in my life, you with my son. What you've accomplished, embraced, and given out to the world. This baby is so lucky to have you."

Chloe moved over to Clark, embracing him tightly. "Congratulations. You come get me as soon as he's born."

"Immediately. I'm so glad you're here."

He kissed her forehead and she smiled at Lois before heading out with Martha. She touched Tess's hand before leaving, grinning happily at her. Tess came forward and touched her face to Chloe's cheek.

"So good to see you," she whispered.

"Take good care of my cous," Chloe replied before leaving with Oliver and Martha.

Clark leaned his face towards Lois's. "You know after this is over you and Tess won't be pregnant anymore and you can get drunk and dance on a table like you were joking about."

Lois laughed through her breathing. "I think we'll be too tired."

"Oh come on," Clark teased, taking her hand. "We can go to Paris, we can relax, and we can get enough liquor in you that dancing with minimal clothes on is like second nature."

She tightened her grip on his hand as the contraction tore through her. "You've been spending _**way**_ too much time with Oliver. And it's going to be awhile before I get my figure back, Smallville."

The doctor told her to push and she was surprised at how fast it was happening. She grabbed onto her husband with the supportive words of her friend in her ear and used all her strength to bring her baby into the world. It was a blur, a collage of people's encouraging words and gentle orders as she felt her child leave her body, the warm feeling of love and fear penetrating through her immediately as she waited for him to cry.

When he did and the cord was cut, she sat up, eagerly waiting as they checked him over. She watched every move they made with her baby. Quickly they brought him over to open arms. Clark leaned over on the bed, peeking down at their tired son with her.

"Jonathan," she breathed, smiling down at the little boy's blue eyes. She looked up at Clark. "I could feel him kicking; I could feel him move but I could never see him. And now, Clark, now don't you want to just watch him?"

"That's all you'll do," Tess told them as she peeked at Jonathan too. "All you ever you did before, you'll find so boring because now, you'll just watch your child."

Lois grinned widely at Tess. "Sounds perfect. I want more. Don't you want more?"

"Wow, it must've been really easy," Clark mused with amazement.

"Yeah, you were right before. I really want to hit you right now," Tess said to her. "I'm going to go outside and tell everyone so that I refrain from doing so." Tess caressed Jonathan's head. "See you soon, little guy."

Lois handed Clark their son and he cupped her head, kissing her, amazed at her energy level. She didn't want to rest but instead wanted to admire their child with him, inviting everyone in to see the newborn baby after the doctor okayed it.

When Clark insisted that she take it easy, she brushed him off. But when she thought of her son, she began to realize that relaxing was a better idea and allowed Clark to lead everyone out of her hospital room. She tucked her baby in blankets and lay down. He sat in the chair next to her, knowing she was wired from having the people she loved around her.

"I _**am**_ tired," she confessed.

"Of course you are. And no one's going anywhere. You have all of us."

"I don't want to miss anything," she told him. "Tess is so calm; so is Chloe."

"No, they're not. They fake it, but they're not calm at all, trust me."

She started to close her eyes. "I love you for loving my crazy side-that is an 'acquired' taste."

He kissed her forehead and ran his fingers along her cheek. "Now I can't get enough. This has been the best day of my life. And every day after this, we have our son with us."

He watched her sleep; the satisfied, peaceful breaths from his wife and son giving him more comfort than anything ever had in his life. He closed his eyes, praying he would receive a visit from his father in his dreams.

**~~~~To Be Continued~~~~**


	14. No Ordinary Love

We Belong to the Thunder – No Ordinary Love

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, which is a crying shame. But no copyright infringement intended.

**Title: **No Ordinary Love

**Series: **We Belong to the Thunder

**Genre: **Vignette, Tess/Oliver Romance, Lois/Clark Romance

**Verse:** Smallville, Sequel to Bad Romance

**Rating: **PG-13

**Notes: **This was an extremely difficult chapter to decide to write. I had to decide personally whether to do it or not. Do I have Tess and Oliver do it this way or not? I struggled over this decision for literally…weeks, as to why _**after**_ the story so there won't be spoilers.

XxX

Lois held the two tiny babies in her arms as Tess carried her son. She thought Lois was crazy for carrying both of them, but she insisted on doing it while they were both still small enough for her to manage it. They headed in from the car through the house out to the back of Tess's estate.

"…but I want the kids to go to the same school and I doubt I'll be able to afford a $50,000 a year for school," Lois said to her as they walked through the mansion out to the back.

"First of all, I didn't say I was doing that, and second of all, we'll work it out. It's only money."

"You know, only people _**with**_ money actually say that and it's really annoying."

Tess walked out first, looking up to see Oliver and Clark there in fully tailored attire with the property looking beautiful at the approaching sunset.

"What?" Tess asked, kissing Daniel's forehead.

Clark came over and tried to take Daniel from a reluctant Tess's arms.

"I'll give him back, Tess," he smiled with assurance.

Oliver approached her with a smile on his face, one that was partly from what he hoped would happen, partly from how much she was going be driven crazy by the next few minutes.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

"What do you think we're doing?"

She wasn't an idiot and the glow in his eyes made her smile and pissed off at the same time.

"I've been running errands all day and I've told you no a thousand times. I know you're unaccustomed to hearing that word, so I could explain it in graphic detail."

He took her by the arm as if he were reasoning with a small child.

"I want you to marry me. And I'll let you set all the rules as long as I get to call you my wife. You know I know you can do anything, that I know you're capable of anything. I know you could disregard this marriage at a moment's notice if I did the slightest thing to piss you off. I know you have the temper of a madwoman. So yes, what I need is it on paper. I need that security."

"But you do know that you already have me," she stated softly, concerned that he might not really believe it.

"Well then if I already have you, and it doesn't change anything other than labels, then do this with me," he said, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing her palm.

"Yeah, do you know how much faster you could pay for a divorce than Clark and I could?" Lois said, bobbing Laura in her arms.

"You're not helping," Clark said softly to her.

Tess exhaled, not minding his lips on her hand, but still wanting to resist. "Who's going to marry us?"

"I am," Clark announced. "I have the certificate and I am completely ready."

"Well, I'm kinda…not," Tess said, looking at herself.

"If I had a dress for you would you say yes?" Lois asked.

"You got me a dress?" Tess exclaimed, unsure of how she felt that they'd figured she would give into this.

"That and more," Oliver informed her, opening a tiny ring box to reveal a classic round-cut diamond solitaire with precisely set pavéd petite round, shimmering diamonds curving down a platinum band.

She caught her breath, amazed at what he could surprise her with even though she had no need for his money. She felt almost guilty for his gesture.

"You don't have to do that," she whispered.

He tipped her chin up.

"And you don't have to wear it as a symbol of anything, but someday I'm going to get you to believe you're worth it."

He kissed her softly and immediately she kissed him back, urgency taking over. Lois handed Laura quickly to Clark and clapped her hands three times to halt them.

"Okay okay okay, afterwards afterwards! You have to get married first!"

Oliver looked at Lois. "I want an official 'yes' from her first."

Tess smiled finally, her smile growing until she giggled. "If it will finally shut you up," she said, looking down, placing her hands on his chest.

He ducked his head, trying to catch her eyes. "Then? Then what?"

She looked up, her eyes wide and little annoyed. "_**Yes**_. Would you like me to use a microphone?"

"I'd like it as a ringtone."

"Oh you're very cute, just put the ring on my finger before Lois has a coronary."

His eyes stayed on hers as he effortlessly slipped it on.

"You're pretty happy with yourself right now, aren't you?" she asked him.

He kissed her. "I'm just happy. Go change."

XxX

Lois guided Tess to the pool house and opened the door.

"I hope you like the dress," Lois said.

"I don't even care as long as it's better than a shirt that has stains on it, courtesy of my kids."

Tess jumped slightly when she saw Lana Lang standing up from a chair in the corner.

"Oh my God, Lana?" she exclaimed with surprised. "What are you doing here?" she asked, coming towards her for a hug.

"Hoping you said yes so we can get this wedding started," Lana said, embracing her friend. "Lois invited me."

"She did say yes!" Lois told her happily. "Took her over a year."

"You look beautiful," Tess said to Lana, observing that her friend was completely ready for the event. "And thank you, Lois," she said, reaching for Lois's hand.

Lois squeezed her hand. "Of course. It's your day. It can't be traditional but it can be beautiful and special right here with the people who love you."

Fifteen minutes later, Lana was zipping up Tess's wedding dress and Lois was beginning to re-apply Tess's faded makeup.

"If any of us had mothers, we might've been better at hair and makeup," Lois commented dryly. "'Course Lana's hair seems to always be perfect."

"This is true," Tess agreed.

Lana scoffed. "I don't think so, but thank you both. Oh, but I do have something old for you," she said, reaching for a small jewelry box and opening it. "These were my grandmother's earrings for her wedding day. They were so precious to me that when they were falling apart, I used Lex's money - that for some reason I felt little guilt about taking - and I had them restored. They're yours for today if you want them."

Tess smiled, deeply touched.

"I would love to wear them. I think they're beautiful; thank you."

Lois shook her head. "What I have is _**so**_ much less classy, but it is the borrowed and the blue," she said, reaching in her bag and pulling out her garter belt.

Tess burst out laughing and Lana followed suit.

"What can I say, I am a woman of _**taste**_," Lois said, making them laugh harder as she flung the garter belt around one finger. "Now come on, let's put it on."

Lana pulled the length of Tess's dress up so she could slip her garter belt up her leg.

"One request," Lois said as Tess adjusted it perfectly. "I do want this back so don't do anything with it tonight that would make it so I'd never want it back."

Lana snorted a laugh at the comment and Tess frowned at the thought.

"_**Lois**_."

"No no, do whatever you want, just…take that off first, please."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Tess said quickly, happy there was a diversion.

Martha Kent came in and Tess quickly threw the skirt of her dress over her leg, covering the garter belt as Lana tried to stop laughing.

"Mrs. Kent," Tess said, shocked to see her.

"Hi!" Lois exclaimed warmly, going right into her arms. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Hi, sweetheart," Martha replied to her daughter-in-law, hugging her back. "How's it going?"

"Great, but we're having slight hair and makeup issues. Can you help?"

Martha pulled back and looked at Tess. "Of course I can. How's the bride doing?"

Tess's eyes widened slightly. "The bride is confused."

Martha came forward affectionately. "I know two of you already are mothers, but you all really are still children to me. I thought you could use a helping hand."

Lana wasn't at all surprised by Lois's kindness but Tess was stunned that Lois would share her mother figure knowing Lois hadn't had one either. None of them had, really, and here they all stood with Martha Kent, happy to have her with them. Tess could only nod in response.

Martha came forward and turned Tess back to the mirror, looking at her through it, beginning to stroke her hair gently for style ideas.

"It's so great to be around girls," she commented, looking at the three of them with a smile. "I love my son but I would've loved daughters." Martha looked at her daughter-in-law. "Honey, you better get dressed too," Martha said to Lois.

"I can help Lois," Lana suggested.

"I'll take your help," Lois agreed. "Oh, and did you bring the something new?" Lois asked Martha.

"I did."

XxX

The sun was setting and she was safe, surrounded by love, and proud of what she had created for herself as she looked into his eyes. She wanted him to know that.

"I have thought about this. This day, this moment. And the first time I saw you, you let me save you and I wasn't beautiful or impressive and still I was worth saving to you. And you were to me. And then when I had the money and the power, you weren't intimidated by it. You didn't need me to be a damsel in distress. You can take me in whatever form I'm in. And so for this day I found these vows from Cuba that spoke to how I feel."

She untraditionally touched his face, trying to convey the power of her love in her touch.

"You are a man who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naïve or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman." She closed her eyes and dropped her fingertips from his face. "I want to be with you yet I always have been."

"Swear to me you won't ever let me go; I'll come after you."

She smiled, nodding with her own promise to him as well as acknowledging his. Neither spoke and Clark waited a moment, seeing if it was his cue to marry them.

Martha, Lois, and Lana each stood by holding a baby and watched Clark Kent concluded the ceremony that had seemed to have been pending for ages. At Clark's closing words, Oliver breathed a sigh of relief and latched onto his wife, claiming her mouth as she let him, her lips softening beneath his behind her smile.

Lois exhaled, also relieved as they clapped, "That was so stressful!" she whispered to Lana. "Do you know how long that took?"

"Shhh," Lana smiled, still looking at Tess and Oliver entwined. "They're fine, it's okay."

Lois always felt like the calm one next to Lana and suddenly understood why Clark had loved her for so long. But then Lois realized that that's what she'd had with Oliver - a similar personality. Now she looked at him and it felt like their relationship had gone by in a split second, even though she remembered obsessing over what could've been for years. Now thinking of Oliver, she almost wondered what she'd been so infatuated with as she now looked at her husband. She looked at Lana, impressed by her, and glad that there had never really been a moment of pettiness between them.

"Okay, so we have to party before you to fly away," Lois announced, stepping forward.

"We're flying away?"

"No, you're gonna spend your wedding night in your own house," Lois replied sarcastically.

"What about my kids?" Tess asked.

"I think the four of us can handle the two of them," Lois informed her.

Tess put her fingers on her temples. "My brain," she cried, overwhelmed.

Lana had already gotten Tess's hired help to start taking in the children so they could begin the celebration. Oliver instantly handed Tess a glass of champagne.

"I would've taken you on the honeymoon without the wedding."

She took a sip. "I would've married you without the honeymoon."

Lois handed glasses of champagne to everyone. "Finally, no one is pregnant," she commented.

"I know," Tess said with relief, taking another sip.

"Yeah, and don't become one of _**those**_ mothers who never drinks and has a good time, please," Oliver requested.

"Oh, I will probably embarrass my children in a number of ways," Tess assured him. "Lois and the rest of you will make sure of that."

"Absolutely," Lois gleamed brightly, keeping Tess's glass full.

Oliver took Tess's hand. "Dance with me before we take off?"

He was already guiding her towards his body as the music played behind them. Lois and Clark sat down together across from Lana and Martha, enjoying the champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Clark placed his hand on Lois's thigh.

"I love the way she's singing to him," he said, watching Tess softly sing the words of the song to her new husband as his hands went up her back.

Clark turned to his wife and kissed her softly. "You were incredible to help make this day happen for her." He looked at the three women. "All of you were."

"You weren't so bad yourself," Lana replied, pulled back as far as she could be without looking like she was trying, being sure to not harm him.

Lana turned to look at them again. Oliver's eyes were completely focused on Tess as his hands were sliding up and down her back. She smiled at him, swaying gently to the music.

"Did you think I'd have cold feet?" she asked him softly, curling her fingers in his hair.

"No, you always just amaze me."

She leaned in, touching her open lips to his, inviting him to kiss her. She loved the force he had when he pulled her body closer, biting on her lower lip in response. He felt her body warm against his and her tiny, startled intake of breath as he ardently kissed her mouth. He kissed her hard, sweeping his lips over hers until he pulled back abruptly and licked his lower lip.

"Let's say goodbye to the kids and get on the plane."

XxX

He was spent. His body was heavy and sweat slickened as he felt her lips on his back, her fingers caressing him and teasing him as only she could do. Her lips made their way up to his neck, her own exhausted breaths making him shiver until she knew she'd given him enough.

She rolled over onto her back, lying beside him, her face flushed and satisfied.

"There's no phone ringing," she whispered, smiling. "No one needs me to feed them or take care of them. No one's asking me for anything at work…I'm so far away from all that."

He loved the way she looked at this moment.

"Then let me steal you away every once in a while."

She exhaled, looking back at him, the sunlight coming in through the cascading windows.

"I'll let you kidnap me if you'll take me to get me to a place like this."

He lifted himself up and leaned down to kiss her. She laughed softly against his mouth.

"Aren't you tired?"

"I get revived when you give me permission to kidnap you," he whispered back playfully.

XxX

_**Four Years Later**_

There were five kids running around the huge open room, screaming and playing as the four parents nibbled on the many platters of Christmas food. The tree nearly reached the ceiling, and Lois had gotten people-sized stockings for the kids to play in.

Lois's two sons, Jonathan and James, were chasing Caroline, her strawberry blonde hair soft and wavy, as she screamed playfully, running around the food table. Clark mischievously intervened, grabbing the toddler up in his arms, placing kisses on her cheeks.

"Put her down, Dad!" James said impatiently, and he did.

Lois grabbed her sons by their shirts and pulled them towards her.

"No come here, you two. Behave. It's Christmas Eve."

Tess carried freshly made hot fudge brownies out to the table. Immediately she noticed Daniel, always one to tease his little sister, sneaking up on her ready to smear artichoke dip on her face. Tess rushed forward, shoving the brownies into Clark's hands, her mama lion instincts kicking in.

"Daniel-Daniel! Stop!" she shouted, shoving her hand between his and her daughter's red hair, receiving the mushy artichoke dip all over her arm.

Oliver came over immediately, seeing his sensitive daughter instantly distressed and upset at her brother's teasing. He picked her up as her angry green eyes darted at him.

"He was gonna hit me!" she cried furiously.

Oliver exhaled a laugh, which infuriated Tess because her daughter looked exactly like her and she almost felt like he was treating Laura's anger with the same level of seriousness he treated hers. But she also knew he loved that little girl more than anything as he wrapped her close and kissed her.

Tess gently gripped her son. "You apologize to your sister and if you do that again, it'll be over for you tonight. Stop driving her crazy. I mean it."

But Daniel knew Tess loved him as he turned and tried to wrap his arms around her.

"No, you go hug your Aunt Lois," she rejected playfully, kissing his forehead.

Lois opened her arms. "Come here, come join the other boys."

An hour later Lois had the five of them lined up oldest to youngest for a photo. The four parents tried desperately to get them all to look at the camera.

"Okay, come on kids, come on, look at Lois," Oliver insisted.

Lois snapped a photo.

"_**Shit!**_" she exclaimed and the kids snickered at her language.

"Didn't get what you wanted?" Clark mused.

She was so frustrated. "Why can't you kids ever just take a normal picture?"

The kids laughed at her and then began to run around again.

"The kids are on crack," Oliver commented dryly as they began pulling at each other and making noise. "They're totally hyped up and they're driving me nuts. I'm about to get a taser."

Tess ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. She'd been on her feet for hours and though the kids were all wonderful, the excitement of the holidays was making them unbelievably wild. She was about to let Oliver get that taser.

"Okay, I'm exhausted, it's late, and I need to go to sleep because they'll want to get up for Christmas at six in the morning. So you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna split them up, you're taking two and I'll take three and we're driving them. They'll pass out in the car," Tess announced.

Twenty minutes later, Lois had James and Jonathan in the back of her car and they were out like lights. She felt like she could _**almost**_ fall asleep at the wheel as she pulled back onto Tess's property, but as she put the gear shift into park and looked back at the sleeping children, her heart sank in relief.

"I love them so much," she whispered to Clark.

"Merry Christmas," he told her.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered back, kissing him deeply.

She reached for her camera and took a perfect image of the slumbering children.

"Now _**that**_ was the photo I wanted."

~The End~

**End Notes:** I was so not sure if I was going to let Tess & Oliver get married because I didn't know if I wanted them in _**this**_ universe that I've created to have that much "traditionalism" between them. I was debating on letting them have just the forever-ness where they don't get married but have the absolute "happily ever after" anyway. They didn't _**need**_ the marriage. Then I thought Oliver's so damn possessive, and most people aren't like me. Maybe most people want them to have that traditional perfect happily ever after. So I hope it works for everyone.

And FYI, if and when I write Tess and Oliver having more kids, a lot of people put in requests for those blonde haired boys and red headed little girls. We need exact copies of them, yes? And if it was confusing, Lois and Clark had two boys (Jonathan and James-hence Jimmy Olsen), and Tess and Oliver had three kids, two girls and boy (Daniel, Laura, and Caroline). But I _**hate**_ when fic writers go on and on about the kids, so I was more writing a very quick scene and wrapping it up.

So why am I going on right now? *clears throat*

Okay! Thank you for reading!


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